Something Unexpected
by sabrielfaerie
Summary: Harry arrives from holidays to find that there are some questions-and answers-waiting for him. But he soon finds out not all answers are good ones.
1. An Unwelcome Homecoming

Harry said good-bye to Ron and Hermione and continued from Platform 9 and ¾ into the very busy Kings Cross Station. Uncle Vernon's scowling face did not immediately appear and Harry had a moment to fish out the letter placed into his hands by a very worried looking Prof. McGonagall. He sat down on his trunk and unfolded the thick parchment.  
  
Harry,  
  
I can explain nothing in this letter lest it be intercepted. Someone will meet you at the train station. Go with them quietly. Do not lose them in the crowd and above all ask no questions! Everything will be explained at your destination.  
  
Regards,  
  
Professor Dumbledore  
  
Harry stared at the parchment for a moment. Fine for Dumbledore to tell him not to lose whoever he was going with. He couldn't even find them in the first place. He jumped slightly when a hand was placed on his shoulder, he turned, wondering whose face he would be looking at next. However the person was cloaked and their hood was pulled out so far on their head that recognition was impossible.  
  
"Who are you?" Harry asked stupidly. The figure placed one finger over what Harry supposed was the general location of his or her lips. The figure turned and Harry grabbed his things and followed it's swiftly retreating back . He had to run to keep up with whoever it was under the cloak. He ran for about ten minutes before arriving in a thicket. The figure put out a hand and grabbed Harry's wrist and after a moment that felt like forever to Harry's rapidly pacing heart the scenery began to swirl and fall away like water on walls. Harry twirled in the darkness, his body pulling away from his arm until he slammed dazedly into the ground. He blinked a few times and everything shifted into focus. He was standing in Mrs Figgs living room. He looked around at the figure who had brought him here and was faced with none other than his godfather, Sirius Black. There were four other people in the room, Mrs Figg, Remus Lupin, Professor Dumbledore and a short, round little wizard Harry had never seen before. Professor Dumble dore stood and smiled at Harry.  
  
"Hello Harry, I am pleased to see you again so soon, although the circumstances of this meeting are far from pleasant. Sit please Harry, this is Mr Mundungus Fletcher, I am sure you are aquainted with the other members of our party, several others will be joining us shortly."  
  
Harry sat on a doily-covered chair, wondering what on earth Dumbledore wanted to tell him.  
  
He didn't have to wonder long.  
  
"Harry, this will come as a shock to you, I'm sure, Peter Pettigrew has been arrested-" Mrs Figg began.  
  
"Well that's great news! That means Sirius can come out of hiding! What's so bad about that?"  
  
"Harry," Dumbledore continued, "Pettigrew was arrested for the murder of the Durselys."  
  
Harry sat numbly, no, he hadn't loved the Durselys, he hadn't even liked them but still, they couldn't be dead. Could they?"  
  
"I don't understand, they can't be dead, I mean why kill them? They're three of the most boring muggles you can find."  
  
"The Durselys were tortured by Pettigrew for information, Harry," Lupin replied, "information on you, he wanted to know what kind of protections we had around you, naturally they didn't know, didn't even know that there were protections, when they wouldn't, couldn't tell him anything he killed them. Muggle please-men were alerted by the screams of your aunt and cousin. They found Pettigrew there, he was unable to apparate as that was one of the protections, when a major spell is used you cannot apparate, well, any ways the please-men found Pettigrew and hauled him off for questioning, Arabella saw them take Pettigrew away, she alerted the ministry and here we are."  
  
Harry gaped, unable to think of anything to say. 


	2. Living Arrangements

Harry regained his senses, "Where do I go now?" he asked, acutely aware of the danger that shrouded anyone associated with him.  
  
Dumbledore, sighed heavily, "I wish there was an easy answer to that Harry, the Weasleys have wasted no time volunteering to take you in but I'm afraid that it is not that simple. If you go to the Weasleys it could and probably would cost at least one life, so we have devised a plan that we think is in your best interest."  
  
"It requires much moving on your part Harry, and it is by no means foolproof, but it will work as a temporary solution, for this summer at least. You will leave this house under the cover of an invisibility cloak, you will go, unescorted, by portkey to the mountainside cave that previously housed Sirius. Sirius will meet you there, but not for an hour or so after your arrival. You will remain there for a week, maybe more, maybe less. Then Remus will come, he will take you to his home for roughly two weeks, whereupon you will return to Arabella's, you will only be able to stay here for three or four days. You will then proceed to the residence of your friend, Ms Hermione Granger, you will stay there for perhaps a week, then the two of you will proceed to the Weasleys for the remainder of the summer, unless another arrangement is seen fit. At the Weasleys you will not be able to go outside, or sit near windows, I realize that this is very restricting, however failing to follow by these rules could cost more than one life Harry. You will not take the Hogwarts express as usual, instead Hagrid will arrive and escort you to the castle, Mr Weasley and Ms Granger may or may not accompany you this will be your choice. I'm sorry it has to be this way Harry."  
  
Harry nodded mutely, a month ago, even an hour ago, he would have jumped for joy at the thought of living with Sirius, but now, now he wasn't sure at all about anything but the need to be alone, something he knew might not be possible, at least not often, for him later.  
  
"You must be hungry dear, I'll get you something to eat, come to the kitchen." Harry, less hungry than he had ever been in his life, followed Mrs Figg dutifully into the kitchen, careful not to tread on Tibbles. Mrs Figg placed something that looked suspiciously like haggis on a plate and bustled out of the kitchen, leaving Harry to pick over both his food, and his thoughts, which were equally jumbled. Now that he knew why the Dursleys where dead and what was going to happen to him he had time to focus on the smaller mysteries. Why didn't he know that Mrs Figg was a witch before?, Now that Voldemort had his blood why did he need to kill him?, and most importantly, what would life be like? As Harry pondered these questions, picking dully at his food, the numbness inside him gave way to fear. What if he was to die? Worse yet, what if someone was to die because of him?  
  
"I didn't ask for this!" Harry shouted, vaguely aware that they could hear him in the next room.  
  
"I didn't ask for this." He repeated in a whisper. Harry pulled his tired body up from the kitchen chair and headed back to the living room. Harry was not yet fifteen but he felt like he was 300.  
  
"The show must go on." He said bitterly to no one in particular. Sighing, an exhausted Harry Potter went back into the living room of Arabella Figg's house. He needed answers and he was determined to get them. 


	3. An Unexpected Story

Harry walked into the living room and stopped dead. It appeared that the several others Dumbledore had been referring to had arrived, and they were not what Harry had expected. Sitting on an overstuffed (and very large) chesterfield were Hagrid and Madame Maxime, Mr Ollivander, from the wand shop. Next to them a tipsy little witch Harry recognised as Doris Crockford, Professor Flitwick, and, sitting slightly away from everyone else, the last person Harry ever would have expected to see here (except, perhaps, Voldemort) Severus Snape.  
  
"Ah, Harry, back at last, I see. Come sit down."  
  
Harry went and sat on the chair Dumbledore had indicated, nodding at Hagrid in greeting.  
  
"Now, I think, it is time to explain what we are doing here." Dumbledore smiled at Harry and the other occupants of the room.  
  
"During the period of Lord Voldemort's rise to power thirteen witches and wizards decided to form, well, not quite a police force, that's the aurors job, but rather, a resistance, of sorts. The group became known as The Order Of The Phoenix. You are looking at the remaining seven members," Dumbledore looked around at the odd assortment and smiled, "and then some."  
  
Lupin picked up where Dumbledore had left off. "The original thirteen were Mundungus Fletcher, Mr and Mrs Frank Longbottom, Arabella Figg, Professors Dumbledore and Flitwick, Doris Crockford, Peter Pettigrew," Harry noticed Lupin grimace when he came to Pettigrew's name, "Sirius Black, myself, and of course, your parents."  
  
Harry thought that the number of names didn't quite fit the number of people Dumbledore had mentioned, but he pushed the thought out of his mind when Sirius continued.  
  
"Our aim was to discuss how to get rid of Voldemort and the death- eaters, and to incorporate international magical understanding." Sirius began. "We had hoped to get more than thirteen members, but, people were scared, I don't blame them. Very few people wanted the death-eaters to have reason to go after them, and our group, such as it was, stood out. We did have another couple at one point in time, but they left when the woman found out she was expecting a child. Once-"  
  
"Who was the other couple?" Harry interrupted.  
  
Sirius choked. "My wife and I."  
  
Harry stared hard at Sirius. "What?"  
  
"I was married at one time, shortly after your parents. My wife, Julia, was killed by death-eaters when she was seven months pregnant."  
  
Harry balked, "don't lie to me."  
  
"I'm not lying, Harry. Julia was home by herself; I was out doing some errand. When I came back the Dark Mark was hovering over the house. That's why I got so little sympathy when Crouch sent me to Azkaban without a trial. Most people thought that I had arranged it all." He shook his head sadly.  
  
"Now back to what I was saying." Harry made a move to ask another question but Lupin shook his head.  
  
Sirius continued speaking but Harry didn't hear a word of it. Why hadn't Sirius told him before? Harry knew full well that it wasn't his business but still, why hadn't any one told him? Who was Julia? What did Sirius do after she was killed? Did this happen before or after Harry was born? There were questions he was burning to ask but Sirius made it clear that the topic was off limits. For now, at least.  
  
"Harry, come into the kitchen for a moment. There's something we need to discuss. We can't be in here right now anyway, Dumbledore needs to talk to Snape alone about some such thing." Lupin turned away and Harry got up to follow him. Everyone but Mrs Figg, Dumbledore, Mundungus and Snape had already left the room.  
  
Harry went into the kitchen and sat down. Lupin was fidgeting in one of the kitchen chairs. He did not seem to want to be sitting there.  
  
Lupin sucked in deeply and began, "I'm sorry, Harry, for the nasty shock we've given you. Especially with so much, already afoot," he shifted nervously in the chair, stroking his chin so roughly Harry worried he would tear the skin. "Now where should I begin? With Julia I suppose? Brace yourself Harry," Lupin said, smiling weakly. "Julia was your fathers sister, his twin sister in fact." Harry gaped at him.  
  
"She and your mother were the best of friends, actually. In fact, it was she who paired up your mother and father." Lupin smiled. "I remember Lily being absolutely appalled at the idea of going out with one of us, we were immature, conceited and, at times, down right rude. Lily was probably the only person in the entire school who had better marks than James and Sirius." Lupin smiled vaguely at the memory. "We teased James relentlessly for the first few weeks. I don't know when we stopped; it might have been when James threatened to beat us up if we tried to poison Lily's pumpkin juice one more time but most likely it was when Peter decided he was in love with Julia." Sirius got it into his head that he had to save her, and so he asked her out one day. Bad move, Lily mocked him something awful and James prepared a list of almost ninety rules he had to abide by if he was to go out with her. I think Julia went for a butterbeer with Sirius just to spite James," he smiled, "She and Lily were like that."  
  
Lupin paused, probably thinking have were to go on from there. "I don't think Peter ever really forgave Sirius for taking Julia, although I can understand why he did it." He smiled at Harry's questioning look and clarified, "Peter was the most dull-witted of all of us. He was slow and ignorant; he didn't really have a mind of his own, Peter. I don't know why we didn't see it before, it all fits." He shook his head mournfully.  
  
"What fits?" Harry asked.  
  
"Supporters of You-Know-Who fell in one of two categories, the first, Lucius Malfoy as an example, were power hungry and manipulative. The second group, Peter as an example, wanted protection. They didn't care about power, they just wanted someone else to watch their backs." He gave a short, rueful laugh and continued with what he had been saying before.  
  
"Lily and James married a year and a half after we left Hogwarts, Sirius and Julia wed one year later. Lily and Julia were expecting a child around the same time, Julia was afraid that death-eaters would track them if they remained as members of the group so she and Sirius left. Lily and James felt that there was just as much danger staying in the group as there was outside of it. How mistaken we all were."  
  
"How did the death-eaters end up at Julia and Sirius'?" Harry asked.  
  
"A useful tip-off from someone who made a career of ratting on people." Lupin replied bitterly.  
  
"When we found out, Lily and James were devastated, Julia and James had been very close as children. If they had had a girl your name would have been Julia."  
  
"When did my parents decide they needed a secret-keeper?" Harry asked.  
  
"Shortly after Julia was killed. There was a particular reason James and Lily were so hotly pursued but the only people who knew what it was, besides themselves of course, were Dumbledore and Sirius."  
  
"And I refuse to tell you what it is as of now." Said Dumbledore as he entered the room, "And I do not expect that you will be able to weasel it out of Sirius either, Mr Potter." Dumbledore said, peering at Harry from over the top of his half-moon spectacles.  
  
"How far have you gotten, Remus?" Dumbledore asked, his gaze now directed at Lupin.  
  
"Far enough, I think, Professor, but I think more explaining will be needed in the near future, Sirius is possibly the only one who can provide it."  
  
"Yes, I quite understand, Harry, do not badger Sirius for an explanation, he will give it when he is ready. That may take a while."  
  
"Yes Professor." Harry replied."  
  
"Good, now go get your school trunk and meet me back here. I have something I need to discuss with Hagrid."  
  
Harry went back into the now vacated sitting room and grabbed his trunk. He looked around for a moment and then said softly. "See you in about a month."  
  
He returned to the kitchen.  
  
"You've got everything then Harry?" Sirius asked. "Caves are short on amenities."  
  
"For the THIRD time. I have EVERYTHING I need!"  
  
Sirius blushed slightly. "Alright then, well, the portkey is in the back yard. There's a rusted out lorry tucked right in the far corner, open the driver's side door and you'll find a small porcelain cat. It's the portkey. When you get to the cave there's a small fissure in the rock, take your trunk and step inside of it. Stay there. DON"T LEAVE! That is the most important rule. I'll be along with some food in about an hour."  
  
"Alright, bye everyone. Mr Fletcher, Hagrid, Professor Dumbledore." Harry nodded at everyone and shook a couple hands and left the house. He opened the door to the lorry and found the cat were he was told it would be.  
  
He picked it up and felt the now familiar jerk behind his navel.  
  
Harry Potter was on his way. 


	4. Talking to Sirius

Harry slammed dazedly into the ground, his head pounding. He blinked several times until his eyes had adjusted to the dim light in the cave.  
  
He found the fissure Sirius had mentioned and peered at it, disbelieving. A house-elf wouldn't have been able to fit through it. He tried to push himself and his trunk through, and found the fissure wasn't as small as it seemed. He came out on the other side of the tunnel and entered a small but neat little room. It had two puffy chairs, a small table, a floor rug and a pale blue, shimmering plant.  
  
He set his trunk down and sat on one of the chairs, wondering where Buckbeak, the hippogriff Sirius had been sharing the cave with, was. He noticed three other small fissures in the wall and went to explore the rest of the cave. The first tunnel led to a small office with a desk, several books and many letters as the only furnishings. The second room was larger, but unremarkable, it was furnished with a bed, a dresser and a clock. A muggle clock. The third room was another bedroom but Harry supposed it was Sirius' because of the yellowed newspapers and other miscellaneous articles that seemed to have been chewed by a dog. A large black dog, to be specific. Harry left the room, grabbed his things and took them into the other bedroom. He looked around the room and sat on the bed; he must have dozed because he woke up to the smell of toast coming from the main room. He left his bedroom and followed his nose. Sirius was sitting on one of the blue chairs, eating.  
  
"Hey, Sirius."  
  
Sirius smiled, "Afternoon Harry, would you like something to eat?"  
  
Harry realised that he was ravenous, nodding yes he sat down and grabbed a piece of toast. Sirius had obviously been shopping, he was wearing new robes and had a haircut, he also had a wand.  
  
He noticed Harry looking at the wand and smiled, "The first time I've had a wand in fifteen years.  
  
"Made yourself at home have you Harry?"  
  
"Yeah, this place isn't to shabby, where's Buckbeak?"  
  
"Buckbeak has been sent to a Hippogriff relocation site or some such thing."  
  
"Oh, how come you never told me that you had all this room, there I was, feeling sorry for poor ickle Sirius and you have yourself a neat little flat."  
  
Sirius laughed. "Actually Remus, Dumbledore and Arabella came over, the decided you couldn't live in a tiny one room cave…never gave a second thought to me," he said, pretending to cry.  
  
"What are all the letters in that office?"  
  
"I'm surprised you didn't read them yourself, the letters are mostly correspondence between Dumbledore and myself, although a few of them are letters of apology from ministry members and several are letters regarding the demise of a certain midget boy in glasses."  
  
"Hey!"  
  
Sirius grinned, "Take it as a compliment, you look like your father, although I'm not sure why you would find that complimentary, I was always the handsome one…"  
  
"Sure, whatever. What were the letters of apology?"  
  
"When someone is convicted of a crime and they are later proven innocent it's traditional for the ministry to send letters of apology."  
  
"What will happen to Pettigrew?"  
  
Sirius frowned, "He is in Azkaban, awaiting the Dementors Kiss."  
  
"Oh." Harry said, unable to think of another reply, then, "Why didn't you get the Kiss?"  
  
"I won't lie to you Harry, there were many people who wanted me to get the Kiss, your mother and father were extremely popular. But there were also people who opposed it, Dumbledore for one. Actually it was Dumbledore who really saved me." He stopped and shook his head sadly.  
  
Harry choked out the words that had haunted him since he found out the truth behind Sirius, "Where was Lupin?"  
  
"Remus was under constant watch Harry. He couldn't speak out, if he had chances are, he would have been arrested. People were suspicious, if he had said something they would have said that he was in a league with me. And anyways, he didn't know that I was innocent. As to where he was, I don't know, I do know that he was unable to come in contact with you until you reached the age of eleven. Ministry rule," he added, seeing Harry's puzzled look. "I don't know why he didn't turn up in your first year, nor do I know why he did not try to send a letter, or inform you of his existence, that you'll have to ask him."  
  
They sat in silence for a while before Harry asked the question he had been dreading, he wasn't sure how Sirius would react and he certainly didn't want him to be angry but it burned in Harry's mind until he could stand it no more. "Why didn't anyone tell me my father had a sister?"  
  
Sirius took a shaky breath. "The letter Harry, the letter."  
  
"What letter? What are you talking about?"  
  
"Dumbledore wrote a note to the Dursleys. Oh god, they never read it. They never read the letter did they?"  
  
Now Sirius seemed to be talking to himself and Harry had no idea what he meant.  
  
Sirius remembered Harry was sitting there and he turned back to face him. "When you were left at the Dursleys Dumbledore left a letter, it explained everything. About me, your parents, Julia, everything. They never even read it."  
  
Harry remembered the summer after third year, "When I told Uncle Vernon I had a god-father he didn't believe me. He didn't know."  
  
"I need to send and owl to Dumbledore. We can talk later."  
  
"About everything?" Harry asked.  
  
Sirius paused. "Everything, Julia, me, everything. I have to send an owl to Dumbledore though, so just, be patient. Please."  
  
Harry nodded, "Alright."  
  
"Thank you." Sirius said softly, leaving the room.  
  
Harry just nodded and went back to his slightly chilled toast.  
  
  
  
Sorry about the short chapter. I'll write more soon.  
  
-Sabriel(the defender) 


	5. All Our Faith In You

"The letter." Harry rolled it around on his tongue. It sounded ominous. "The letter." I think I'm going insane, he thought tiredly. Given the circumstances it would be quite welcome.  
  
"Harry?" Sirius poked his head into the room; "if you want to talk there's no better time." Harry nodded and went and sat in one of the chairs. "How come no one told me Mrs Figg was a witch?"  
  
"Same reason no one told you you were a wizard. The only people who knew weren't able to contact you." He shrugged, "There was a letter. I'm surprised the Dursleys didn't read it. They're the kind of people who'd like to know why they ended up with a gunk job." He glanced a t Harry, "No offence or anything."  
  
"So, this Julia then, if the Dursleys didn't read the letter and they knew about her."  
  
"There's a very real possibility that they didn't know about her. They didn't come to your parents' wedding; your parents' weren't invited to theirs. Major communication breakdown."  
  
Harry nodded, "So you were in prison, Peter was "dead" and Lupin wasn't allowed to see or contact me. Didn't my mum have any friends?"  
  
"Of course. But by that point in time most of them had children themselves. They couldn't take on the risk. There was one woman, Valetta Patil, but her husband was dead, she couldn't take on three kids."  
  
"AAARGGHH! I would NEVER live with Padma and Parvati Patil. NEVER!"  
  
"Relax, she wouldn't have adopted you." He took a swig of his tea; "you could still date Parvati."  
  
Harry winced, remembering the Yule Ball the Christmas past.  
  
"At least I think you could have, I don't think the Ministry has specific rules on things like that." Harry glared at him  
  
"You're not still pining after that Chang girl are you?"  
  
"Yes I am so if you'll excuse me, I'm going to pine some more." Harry replied irritably.  
  
"Confucius say "He who pines never finds anything new.'"  
  
"Confucius didn't say that."  
  
"Well, no, I made that up but it has more ring when he says it then when I say it."  
  
Harry rolled his eyes. "Good thing you were the handsome one. Your brain has less substance than Professor Trelawney."  
  
"Hey! Your father and I were two of the smartest kids to pass through Hogwarts in years."  
  
"So was Tom Riddle, doesn't mean we should celebrate."  
  
"If you were married to Julia that makes you my uncle doesn't it?"  
  
"By marriage yes. Well, technically anyway."  
  
"So I did have surviving relatives."  
  
"Serving a life sentence in prison."  
  
"Well I still deserved to know, Mrs Figg could have told me."  
  
"She could have told you a whole bunch of stuff but she didn't. She was Alchemy teacher in our time."  
  
"We don't have Alchemy anymore."  
  
"That's why she was Alchemy teacher. Harry, believe it or not, there are reasons you don't know what you don't know."  
  
"Dumbledore knew! He knew, he told Hagrid that there would be trouble getting me."  
  
"Dumbledore has always done things his way, I guess he had a reason." Sirius shook his head, "I wish I knew what it was."  
  
Harry sat back for a moment. It was the first time he had heard a trace of doubt coming from somebody who was talking about Dumbledore. People had a lot of faith in him.  
  
"What will happen if Dumbledore dies before Voldemort is defeated?"  
  
Sirius looked at him; "We have to put all our faith in you if that happens. All our faith in you."  
  
"And if I fail?" Harry squeaked.  
  
"We just have to hope it won't come to that."  
  
"That sounds promising." Harry said, trying to lighten the tenseness.  
  
"It's the truth Harry, you've got the world on your shoulders. Don't think it's your fault but it's very much the truth. A lot more people will be dead when this is over then need be."  
  
Harry nodded sadly.  
  
"We have to put all our faith in you." Sirius repeated 


	6. Living Arrangements Abolished

Harry and Sirius had been sitting in silence for several minutes when a large barn owl flew into the cave. Harry sat while Sirius read the letter. He thought about what the older man said, "We have to put all our faith in you". Great, Harry thought, as if I don't have enough on my mind, the future of humanity rests on my shoulders.  
  
He glanced at Sirius and was shocked by what he saw on his face. Fear. His eyes were not shuttered as they had often been, but this open fear was even more disturbing. Sirius finished reading and looked at Harry.  
  
Harry swallowed, "What is it?"  
  
"I can't tell you right now. You have to get out of here. Come on."  
  
Harry looked at him. There was an animalistic wildness in his eyes.  
  
"Come on! I'm serious."  
  
Harry jumped up and followed him, not knowing where they were going or even why they were going.  
  
"Do you have your invisibility cloak?" Sirius asked suddenly.  
  
Harry nodded and went and got it.  
  
I want you to put it on and don't say a word until we get where we're going. He transformed into the shaggy black dog and Harry put the cloak on. They walked down the side of the mountain and into Hogsmeade. Sirius crept along the sides of buildings and slipped into the Three Broomsticks. Harry followed him and made sure that the door didn't stay open longer than necessary.  
  
Once inside Harry noticed that the usually crowded tavern was empty save for Madame Rosmerta who rose and nodded in the general direction of Harry.  
  
"Come."  
  
Harry glanced at Sirius who was nodding, at least to the best of his ability.  
  
Harry followed Madame Rosmerta out into the street and into Honeydukes.  
  
"G'day Rosemerta, I coulda sworn I just saw you come in 'ere a moment ago."  
  
"Nah, couldn'ta been me Frank, I just left the pub for a moment, I'm in the middle of a dry spell."  
  
Frank, who Harry surmised was the owner of Honeydukes, nodded.  
  
Madame Rosemerta hurried to the back of the store, then with a hurried glance over her shoulder she dropped into the cellar. Harry followed her and was shocked to see Madame Rosemerta lying slumped on the floor and standing in front of him. The Madame Rosemerta who was standing in front of him muttered a spell to rouse the sleeping one then she whispered a memory charm and sent the second Rosemerta back upstairs. The Rosemerta Harry had been following originally found the passage that Harry recognised from his third year when he had followed it from Hogwarts. It was the passage that started behind the statue of Gregory the Smarmy. He wondered how Rosemerta knew about it.  
  
They walked along the passage and despite the darkness Harry was quite sure Rosemerta was shrinking. He shook his head and decided he needed to clean his glasses. After quite some time they came out from behind the statue and Harry saw not Rosemerta but Lupin.  
  
He still did not say anything and Lupin led him down the corridor and into Dumbledore's office.  
  
"You can take the cloak off now Harry." He said softly, "Dumbledore will be with us in a moment."  
  
Indeed the moment Harry flicked the cloak off Dumbledore stepped in.  
  
"I had hoped we would not meet again so soon Harry, but it appears that fate has reared it's head."  
  
"What's going on professor? Could somebody just tell me what is going on?" Harry was so exhausted and so confused he felt like he was going to cry. Anger was the only thing that kept from breaking down.  
  
Dumbledore sat down and gestured at Harry and Lupin to do the same. "I received an owl from Sirius telling me that the Dursleys had not read the letter I placed with you upon your delivery to their doorstep. However I know for a fact it would have been quite impossible for them to ignore it."  
  
Harry was looking at Dumbledore with a glazed expression. What was taking him so long? Harry hoped that Dumbledore would not pick this time to completely fall off his rocker.  
  
"Dumbledore, with all do respect could you cut to the chase? This kid is about to collapse."  
  
"Of course." Dumbledore nodded. "As I was saying, I placed a charm on the envelope, whoever opened that door on November 2nd would have found it impossible to resist opening that letter and reading it's contents."  
  
"So you think they ignored it?"  
  
"No. They wouldn't have done that. They would have tried to pass you off on one of the several people mentioned in the letter. I'm quite sure of it."  
  
"So you thing some Muggle wandering the streets at 4.00 saw the letter and read it?"  
  
"No Harry, I think Peter Pettigrew found the letter."  
  
"So?" Harry was too tired to think this concept out, he much preferred Dumbledore to explain it to him.  
  
Dumbledore seemed to understand this and he took care explaining. "In it-the letter-I told Mr and Mrs Dursley about the securities that they would be given should they decide to take you. I foolishly told them what spells I had used, not thinking that if the letter fell into the wrong hands it could be dangerous."  
  
"But if Pettigrew got the letter why didn't he take me too?"  
  
"I'm sure by now you realise that Peter Pettigrew is a very weak man, he did not take you because Peter Pettigrew only thinks about himself. If it turned out that Voldemort was gone for good he would not want to be stuck with incriminating evidence. So he took the letter and left to destroy Sirius."  
  
"He returned to Voldemort two years ago. Why did he just go after me now? And why did they go when I was gone?"  
  
"Even though he knew what the protections were I'm sure it took him a rather long time to get past them. Why he did it when you were gone I'm not sure. Perhaps he thought classes were out earlier. Perhaps he thought he would kill the Dursleys and meet you after. I don't know. I don't think I ever will."  
  
"So what do I do now?"  
  
"We're going to keep you here at Hogwarts for the remainder of the summer."  
  
"Is it just me or does that sound very unappealing?"  
  
Lupin smiled and shook his head. "Come on Harry, let's get you back to the common room. You'll find your stuff already up there."  
  
"You never answered my question. Or has it always been a dream of yours to overnight at Hogwarts for the summer?" Harry asked irritably as they walked down the hall.  
  
Lupin just shook his head. "Our hero is in a rather foul temper isn't he?"  
  
"Oh no, the event of today have done much to brighten my spirits."  
  
"Yes, you always did handle your misery well didn't you. Aberlingarn."  
  
"They had reached the portrait of the Fat Lady and Lupin had spoken the password. He pushed the door open. "There you are. I'll be by with a snack in a bit."  
  
Harry walked into the common room and his eyes lit up.  
  
"Ron! Hermione!" 


	7. In Gryffindor Tower

Hermione hugged Harry. "Hi! Oh we heard everything and I simply begged mum and dad to let me come stay."  
  
"Ron grinned, "It's a blessing in disguise. Imagine! Hogwarts all to ourselves for two months!"  
  
"I wonder if any of the teachers stay for the summer. Maybe we can get some extra classes in."  
  
"HERMIONE!" The boys yelled.  
  
She blushed and smiled. "Sorry."  
  
"So what actually happened? Dad was reluctant to answer my questions."  
  
"You probably know as much as I know. Everybody has theories but nobody has facts. They've got Pettigrew down at Azkaban but by the time they're through with him it won't matter whether he has anything to say or not."  
  
"You don't mean-"  
  
"The Dementors Kiss."  
  
She shivered, "I wish they would get rid of the Dementors."  
  
"Well they can't exactly put Pettigrew in a cell. He would escape."  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes. "They have precautions for Animagus prisoners you know. They don't just put them in a cell and hope they'll stay there."  
  
Ron glared at her. "That's not what I suggested they would do."  
  
Hermione snorted, "Are you suggesting Peter Pettigrew is clever enough to escape form Hogwarts?"  
  
"No, but he's stupid enough to try to." This time it was Lupin's voice that answered. Harry, Ron and Hermione looked at him, hoping he brought news.  
  
"He tried to get past the guards when they brought him into trial. They gave him Veritaserum, but apparently Voldemort gave him immunity to it. So they just set the Dementors on him."  
  
Hermione gasped.  
  
"Hermione, the man is a murderer, he's killed more than once before and he will kill again."  
  
"Your humanity is frankly tiresome 'Mione." Ron said.  
  
Lupin waved him off. "Hermione, the magical world isn't the same as the world you grew up in. In the world of your parents and the rest of your family you can place criminals in cells, feed them twice a day and not worry about them until they die. But this world, your world, is far more advanced and far more complicated. Offenders must be dealt with immediately. I realise, Hermione, that this sounds very cold, and very cruel but you must remember that not only is Peter Pettigrew a multiple offender but also that he would, upon being released, return immediately to Voldemort.  
  
Hermione nodded.  
  
"Now!" Lupin said, his voice regaining its regular upbeat tones. "I suggest that we get some rest."  
  
The three children looked at him like he was mad. "Alright, perhaps we shouldn't get some rest. He waved his wand and plates of biscuits and sweets appeared. "You three do what you like tonight. Tomorrow we'll decide what areas are forbidden, and how to enforce the fact that they are forbidden. However," he cleared his throat, "In the course of doing what you like you are NOT TO LEAVE GRYFFINDOR TOWER! Do you understand?"  
  
"Yes." They replied in chorus.  
  
"Good, Snape will be guarding the door."  
  
"WHAT?!!"  
  
"That's right, so I suggest you keep in line. Gryffindors have a tendency to disappear on their way from the tower to Dumbledore's office. You're no exception." He smiled. "Good night." he left.  
  
"Great. We're being guarded by a death-eater. Why don't you just go give Voldemort your wand Harry?" 


	8. Standing Up To Snape

Out of habit the three of them eventually went to sleep in their dorms although Harry would have been quite content to collapse on the floor just so long as he could get some rest.  
  
The boys woke then next morning and joined Hermione in the common room.  
  
"Do you think we should go to breakfast or should we stay here?"  
  
"I say we chance it. It isn't as though Voldemort has been camping beneath the Fat Lady and was politely waiting for me to get rested before I get killed."  
  
"Harry's right, let's go get breakfast."  
  
Hermione nodded and shrugged. They passed through the portrait hole and were stopped by Snape.  
  
"WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING?"  
  
"BREAKFAST!" Harry yelled back, this had the effect of startling Snape but only momentarily.  
  
"There are rules Potter. Precautions, perhaps you think you can ignore the-"  
  
"Look," Harry said, "These rules and precautions aren't clear to me, the only thing that is clear is that I want breakfast. I can't go about saving the world on an empty stomach. Now if you'll excuse us."  
  
"Breakfast will be brought to you Potter." Snape said silkily, "And I will not be spoken to-"  
  
"Thank you," Harry said curtly, "for informing us, we'll be returning to the common room now."  
  
They pushed past Snape and went back into the common room.  
  
Ron and Hermione looked at Harry like he was mad.  
  
"What? It isn't like he can give me detention or take away house points. If there actually was danger I would be dead by now. He spends so much time lecturing me."  
  
"But still-Harry-" Hermione didn't get time to finish because an argument broke out outside the common room and the three of them edged testily towards it, trying to catch what hey were saying.  
  
"-Really Severus, you can't keep lecturing the boy---not like he has any idea what's going on."  
  
"Even so, I refuse to spoken to in such a manner Remus. I demand something be done."  
  
"Severus, the kids been through enough. Let him be."  
  
"I will do no such thing."  
  
"Yes! You will, you will let him be because as his guardian I demand it." In softer tones, "now if you'll excuse me I need to speak to him."  
  
Lupin stepped through the portrait hole and sat down. "Had a bit of a clash with Snape Harry?"  
  
"Sorry."  
  
"Ah, he needs it every once and a while, just the same, try to live in harmony."  
  
"I thought Sirius was my guardian, what happened to that?"  
  
"Shared duties." Lupin said, grabbing a croissant of one of the trays he had conjured.  
  
"Do we have to stay in Gryffindor tower the entire summer or what?" Ron asked, slathering a piece of toast with marmalade.  
  
"No, not exactly, we've made some boundaries. You can go to the library, the great hall, and, well the library and the great hall is about it. And the prefects bathroom."  
  
"We're prefects?" Hermione gasped, her eyes growing wide.  
  
"You and Harry." He looked at Ron apologetically but instead of being faced with misery Ron was jumping up and down. He glanced at Harry and Hermione. Harry shrugged and Hermione rolled her eyes. "Well, that's the boundaries I guess, sorry you guys."  
  
"How come Snape wouldn't let us go past if we're allowed out?" Harry asked, preventing Hermione from asking one of her millions of questions about prefectdom. Harry figured she had probably read everything she needed to know about prefects in Hogwarts :A History anyway.  
  
"He's been in a rather foul temper since I got the DADA job again."  
  
"That's great! But what about, you know-"  
  
"My lycanthropy?"  
  
"Er-yes."  
  
"They put it to a vote, it seemed that parents would rather have someone they know, despite the fact that I transform into a werewolf. It appears they weren't all too impressed with Crouch Jr. as professor." He laughed.  
  
"Can we go to the owlery?"  
  
"Hermione and Ron can, Harry we'd prefer if you gave them your letters to send. And Dumbledore wants the invisibility cloak."  
  
"What? He can't-I won't-no way!"  
  
"I have one of my own I'll give him, but Harry, if you use that cloak to go outside of the school or anywhere outside the boundaries besides the kitchens, I'll let you find out what happens."  
  
Harry nodded. "But professor, won't you get in trouble?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Not if you guys follow my rules. And I trust that you will." He looked at them carefully.  
  
"Of course we will, I don't fancy dying anymore then the next guy." Harry said. "I don't know why everybody always tells me to be careful, it isn't as though I walk around sticking my head in bear traps and inviting Voldemort in for tea."  
  
Lupin smiled. "Alright, I believe you." He got up to leave. "And try not to rub Severus the wrong way. You know how he gets."  
  
Harry smiled.  
  
A/N* Hey people! Sorry for the short chapter! For those of you who have accustomed yourselves to the fact that I update daily- Sorry! I'm going on vacation. You'll have to wait a bit to see if I kill Harry off. Sara 


	9. In The Prefects Washroom

With their hunger sated Harry, Ron and Hermione settled in to decide what to do with their day.  
  
"I can't begin to tell you guys how happy I am you came. I don't know what I would do all by myself."  
  
"No sweat, my other option was staying home with Penelope, Ginny and Mum."  
  
"Penelope?"  
  
"Clearwater. Percy's girlfriend. She's moved in with us until they get their wedding planned."  
  
"They're getting married? Why didn't you tell me?"  
  
"Oh jeez Hermione, maybe because I found out that my best friend's gaurdian's were murdered ten minutes later."  
  
"Well you've had two days to tell me."  
  
"Okay, cool it you guys. What are we going to do today?"  
  
"I don't know, there isn't much we can-"  
  
"I've already taken care of that. Professor McGonagall has procured some N.E.W.T. practise sheets for us, we can work on them."  
  
"Uh, Hermione?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"No. We cannot work on them. We may be in Hogwarts but we are still on holiday. And besides, we haven't even taken our O.W.L.s yet."  
  
Hermione sniffed. "I did the O.W.L. sheets last year. And if you two want to fail that's fine with me but I won't be bailing you out the day before final exams."  
  
"Alright Hermione, we won't ask you for any help. Now put those damn things away."  
  
Hermione sighed. "Fine." She threw the sheets in the fire and watched them curl and burn. "Fine. You want me to lighten up, I won't be your conscience anymore Harry. I'll go with it, you're the boss."  
  
"Herm, that's not what I meant."  
  
"No Harry, you're right. In five years all I've done is nagged you guys. I never have any fun because I'm so busy being Jiminy Cricket. No more. Alright?"  
  
"Alright Hermione, alright."  
  
Hermione nodded. "So what are we going to do boys?"  
  
"I suggest we check out that Prefect bathroom. Ron, you can wear the Invisibility cloak."  
  
"That's alright, I have to send an owl to Mum. She'll get frantic if she doesn't know what you're doing every minute."  
  
"Alright, we'll see you in a bit, we shouldn't be that long."  
  
They walked out of Gryffindor tower and were apprehended once again by Snape.  
  
"Potter! Granger! Where do you think you are going?"  
  
"The prefects bathroom." Hermione said casually, not stopping.  
  
"Both of you?"  
  
"You're here to insure I don't die, Professor. What I do in my spare time is not your business."  
  
"Potter!" Snape yelled but he didn't try to stop them.  
  
Harry and Hermione rounded the corner and burst out laughing. "Did you see the look on his face?"  
  
"Oh my god! It was hilarious!" They continued to laugh all the way to the prefects bathroom.  
  
Harry said the password (vichy vine) and the stepped in. Hermione, who had never seen the inside of the prefects washroom gasped.  
  
"Harry! It's like a pool!" She said as they walked over to the bath tub.  
  
Without saying a word Harry went over and twisted on one of the taps. Then another and another, sending out streams of coloured and perfumed bubbles. The shocked look on Hermione's face was enough to make even Harry grin.  
  
"I know it's quite deep too." Then, nonchalantly, he pushed her in.  
  
"Harry!" She spluttered, then she grasped his robes and pulled him down with her.  
  
They thrashed in the water for a while and then, gasping, pulled themselves out and sat on the edge. Harry looked over at Hermione and then kissed her impulsively. She was momentarily surprised then she returned the kiss. They pulled away and looked at each other. They went back to kissing and that's how Ron found them, minutes later, soaking wet, making out on the floor of the prefects washroom. 


	10. Explanations, Explanations

Harry and Hermione scrambled of the floor and faced Ron. Harry was the first to regain use of his voice. "How did you get in here?" It sounded stupid the minute it was out of his mouth but Ron answered anyway, not taking his eyes of Hermione.  
  
"Lupin gave me the password. Just until school starts again. What were you guys doing?"  
  
"Harry nearly drowned I was resuscitating him." Hermione replied dryly, ringing her hair out.  
  
"Oh. We should go, check out the library or something." His voice tapered off.  
  
"Right, we need to change our clothes anyway. Come back to the tower with us."  
  
They didn't say another word as they walked back to Gryffindor tower.  
  
"I don't even want to know." Snape said as the three of them walked up to the portrait of the Fat Lady. His words were sarcastic but Harry detected a note of amusement. Maybe it was time to bury the hatchet with Snape.  
  
"Aberlingarn." Harry said, before he could succumb to pressure and say something inoffensive to Snape.  
  
Harry and Ron walked up to their dormitories and Harry pulled clean robes out of his trunk. He had just pulled on pants when Ron broke the silence.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me you liked her?"  
  
Harry shrugged and toweled his hair off. "I guess I didn't know myself."  
  
Ron looked at his best friend. Harry was powerfully built from Quidditch but still slender and lithe. It didn't take a genius to figure out that any girl would rather have handsome Harry Potter than freckled Ron Weasley.  
  
"I like her Harry." He said, dropping his head into his hands. Harry pulled a t-shirt over his head and went and sat on the bed next to Ron  
  
"Why didn't you tell her?"  
  
"I thought she liked me too, I thought I would have time to tell her."  
  
"Why didn't you tell me?"  
  
"I don't know, I thought you would tell me not to be ridiculous."  
  
"Don't be ridiculous." Harry said, without thinking.  
  
"See?" Ron said, lifting his tear-streaked face from his hands.  
  
"Ron, come on, there's plenty of other girls out there, besides, what happened with Hermione and I might not actually come of anything." But meanwhile you better find another girl to crush on, Harry thought silently.  
  
"What girl in this school doesn't have a crush on you Harry? I thought with Hermione I would at least have a chance."  
  
"Cho."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Cho. She doesn't like me."  
  
"She will now that Diggory's dead."  
  
"Actually she'll probably think I killed him myself. Anyway, that's not the point. If Percy found a girlfriend you can."  
  
"I don't want any girl! I want Hermione!"  
  
"Ron, maybe you only want her now because you don't have her. Wait it out."  
  
"That's easy for you to say."  
  
"I waited and waited for Cho and by the time I got to her she was going out with someone else." Harry paused and pulled on his robes. "The thing is, now that I have the opportunity to go out with Cho I really don't want to."  
  
"Because you have Hermione." Ron grumbled.  
  
"Because Cho is very pretty and very stupid. Like Cedric."  
  
Ron snorted. "Let's go to the library. I want to find one of those books that blank your memory. There's a certain image that I want to forget."  
  
Harry pushed him to the side with one arm and they went down to the common room.  
  
Hermione eyed Ron warily but he didn't say anything to her. They pushed the portrait back and stepped out.  
  
Snape sighed, "Now where are you going?"  
  
"The library."  
  
"To do what?"  
  
"To copy dirty passages out of books."  
  
"Potter."  
  
"We're going to find something to read. We'll probably stay there for about an hour."  
  
Everyone looked surprised by this sudden burst of congeniality.  
  
"Alright, be sure to be back by lunch. Profesor McGonagall will probably be guarding then."  
  
They nodded and started off to the library.  
  
"What was that about?" Ron whispered when the got to the library.  
  
"I don't know. I guess both of us have figured out we're on the same side."  
  
"It's still weird."  
  
"Well I'm not going to embrace him as a father substitute or anything. Hey Severus, you wanna go to a ball game this Saturday?"  
  
Hermione laughed but Ron just looked confused. "Ball?"  
  
"Baseball. It's a Muggle sport, like football."  
  
"Oh. Well."  
  
"So. Here we are. In the library. Where many Waldo's have been before us."  
  
"Harry stop!" Hermione was laughing and gasping for breath, Ron was just looking at them blankly.  
  
"Who's Waldo?"  
  
"No. Where's Waldo? That's a good question. We must find Waldo, the Wizard Whitebeard and the red scroll. Then we can continue to the next world."  
  
Hermione was doubled over laughing and Ron was looking at Harry like he was babbling idiot.  
  
"Where's Waldo is a Muggle childrens book. Like The Great Merlin Search."  
  
Hermione pulled herself up straight and wiped tears from her eyes. "Oh my god Harry."  
  
He grinned. "So, what books to you suppose have dirty passages?"  
  
"I vote for Bathalbert Biggerin's Journey's In Transfiguration."  
  
"Oooo, doesn't that title just sound scandelous? We might have to break into the restricted section to get a hold of it."  
  
The three of them grinned and began pulling books of the shelves, joking and laughing. 


	11. What It Feels Like

"Did you know that you-know-who's mother was actually a key person in the defeat of Grindelwald in 1945?" Ron was flipping through a thick red book.  
  
"Really? Let's see." Hermione snatched the book from him. She scanned the pages for a moment and then looked at Ron. "This is a picture book you moron. It doesn't have anything about you-know-who in it."  
  
"But still, look at these pictures! Have you ever seen the evolution of lawn-gnomes in such snapping colour?"  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes and sat back down.  
  
"You should have known that Voldemorts mum died before Grindelwalds defeat." Harry said, tossing a Quaffle up and down.  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes. "So what are we going to do this afternoon?"  
  
"Hogsmeade." Harry and Ron replied in unison. Harry watched Hermione to gauge her reaction.  
  
"You're going to wear the invisibility cloak right?"  
  
"Yeah, I guess I have to." He smiled slyly. "Unless you'll deign to perform an invisibility charm."  
  
"Ooo! You know just how to try me don't you?" Invisibility charms were forbidden in Hogwarts, but that hadn't prevented Hermione from teaching herself to do one. A standard invisibility charm enabled the spell caster and one other person to see the invisible person.  
  
Harry smiled and arched one eyebrow.  
  
"Well, come on, let's get going before Lupin decides to check up on you."  
  
Harry rolled his eyes. There were people standing beneath every window in Gryffindor Tower and someone guarding the door. Lupin had promised he wouldn't come into the tower or the Prefects washroom. "Everywhere else is fair game." He had said, looking pointedly at Harry and Hermione, who blushed.  
  
Hermione performed the spell and they walked out of the tower.  
  
"Where are you two going?" Snape asked.  
  
"The Prefects washroom." Hermione said.  
  
"Don't you get around." Harry heard Snape mutter. He had to stifle a laugh.  
  
They got to the statue where the entrance to Honeydukes was and Harry stopped.  
  
"Lupin wouldn't leave this entrance open. He knows we know about it." He trailed off.  
  
Just then Lupin rounded the corner. "Uh-oh." Hermione said softly.  
  
"I can only guess what you two are doing here."  
  
"We're sorry, Professor. We really are. We were going to go to Hogsmeade and get some sweets, maybe something from the joke shop to pass the time. We know we should have asked for an escort but Ron and I figured that if we went without Harry we would be okay, seeing as we aren't wanted or anything." Oh god, please believe her, Harry thought as Hermione finished.  
  
Lupin smiled gently. "Hermione, I appreciate how frustrating it must be to be in your shoes but please, allow me to go to Hogsmeade for you. Believe it or not, Voldemort is after you. You could lead him to valuble information about Harry."  
  
"We're very sorry Prof-"  
  
"Remus, until school starts. I feel old when you call me Professor."  
  
"Sorry." Hermione blushed.  
  
"Anyway, please stay within the confines of the school. Please."  
  
Hermione and Ron nodded and they walked back to the tower.  
  
Snape looked up from his book but said nothing. They walked back into the tower and Hermione reversed the invisibility charm. "That was close."  
  
"Very close."  
  
"I have no wish to repeat that experience."  
  
"No wish."  
  
"Shut up Ron."  
  
"Okay."  
  
At around nine thirty Lupin came in with a mass of sweets and items from the joke shop. They thanked him and played around for about an hour before Ron went up to bed. Harry and Hermione stayed up and made out for a bit before Hermione turned to him suddenly.  
  
"What did it feel like? The Cruciatus curse I mean?"  
  
Harry looked at her. "It was, undescribable. Like hundreds, thousands of white-hot knives into my flesh. I wanted to die. I honestly wanted to die right then and there. No one should have to feel that kind of pain. No one."  
  
Not even you-know-" Hermione took a breath. "Not even Voldemort?"  
  
Harry inhaled deeply. He didn't look at Hermione. "No. No, that kind of pain should not be experienced on Earth. No earthly force can create that kind of pain. It's what I imagine you feel in Hell."  
  
"Oh Harry, I'm so, so sorry."  
  
"Don't be. You couldn't have changed anything. You would have ended up like Cedric."  
  
"Oh Harry! But still, I never bothered to ask..never even thought to ask what happened down there..I am so sorry."  
  
"There's only one person I want to apologise and only one person who never will."  
  
"Oh god Harry. I never-"  
  
He kissed her soundly. "Shut up."  
  
She smiled and kissed him back. "Okay." 


	12. A ballroom revelation

Harry sprawled lazily on the chesterfield in the common room. He didn't want to move, but he sat up anyway, bracing his fingers and stretching. Ron and Hermione had gone to sleep but he had told them he was going to stay downstairs for a while longer. He turned and faced the fire, it was blazing but it didn't cast of any heat. Harry reached in and timidly let the flames lick his fingers. Nothing. He stuck his hands all the way in and nothing happened. He pulled them back abruptly as the temperature in the air around him dropped to almost freezing. He turned slowly to face the cold front, and was shocked to see that part of the common room had disappeared. It had been replaced by a massive ballroom, bigger than the Great Hall, with polished marble floors and floor to ceiling windows. And on the ballroom floors, ghosts. He stood and faced the scene. Dozens, maybe more, of ghosts milled around, casting a pearly glow across Harry's face. He was shocked to see he recognized many of the ghosts. Sirius, Ernie MacMillan, Justin Finch-Fletchley. Percy Weasley was there too along with his father and sister. The ghost of Susan Bones was deep in conversation with the ghost of Cedric Diggory. His eyes drifted towards Oliver Wood and Colin Creevey, and next to them Ron and Dean. Harry's eyes drifted over the faces of people he did not recognise. But in the center of this whirling mass was his parents, slowly they turned to face him, and they, and the rest of the spectres, quieted and raised their glasses in a silent toast. Then his mother spoke.  
  
"You are our last hope Harry. You are the last chance we have to win this war." She gestured around to the ghosts. "We cannot defeat Voldemort but you can." The rest of the ghosts nodded. Ron raised his glass again but he did not drink.  
  
And then they disappeared as suddenly as they came. They disappeared and Harry was left facing Voldemort in his crowning glory. And Voldemort smiled, a terrible smile and he too, disappeared. And Harry woke to more pain than he had ever expeirienced in his life. He woke screaming, clawing at his scar. Hermione and Ron rushed to see what was the matter. And Professor McGonagall, who had never, even during her time as an Auror, heard such terrible screams came running. And Snape, who had been working in the dungeons heard the screams and he too ran to Gryffindor tower where he met with Remus Lupin. Their eyes met for one terrifying second and they continued to run. By the time they reached Harry the pain was gone, replaced by an overwhelming sense of fear. He looked mournfully at his best friend. His pain could not be described.  
  
  
  
**************************************************************************** ********** A/N* Sorry it's so short! I'll update soon. Sara 


	13. Great wide open

Harry had finally convinced Hermione and Ron that he did not want to talk about his dream and they finally let it be.  
  
"What do you want to do when you leave Hogwarts?" Harry asked lazily.  
  
"I want to get a job at the Ministry." Hermione said.  
  
"No, you want THE job at the Ministry."  
  
Hermione blushed but she didn't back down.  
  
"I'd like to become an Auror, but I'll probably end up with a desk job that pays just enough to feed and clothe my kids."  
  
"That's depressing. What about you Harry?"  
  
Harry thought for a moment. "I'd like to go out into the world. I don't want to start work right away, I don't want to have to settle down with two kids and wife the minute I get out of Hogwarts. There's a whole great wide open out there. I want to see it."  
  
"Do you want kids?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Yes." Harry said without thinking about it at all. "I want kids, I want a big family so if I die they won't end up out there on their own. There's nothing worse than being alone."  
  
"I don't know." Ron said, "There have been times when all I wanted was to be alone."  
  
"Would you trade your mother and father and brothers and sister for what I got?"  
  
Ron swallowed. "No, no I don't think I would trade them for anything."  
  
Harry nodded, "I figured as much."  
  
"Well come on Harry, I mean it's not so bad once you got out of the Dursley's. I mean you have Sirius and Remus who would give their lives for you, you've got Hagrid and McGonagall who totally have a soft spot for you. There's my Mum who went into coniptions and actually screamed at Dumbledore when the Dursleys died, she really does see you as one of the family. And there's Dad who see's you as one of the family too, he yelled at Dumbledore to let you stay at our house and then he yelled at Dumbledore again to let me stay here."  
  
"But I have no REAL family."  
  
"That's the thing Harry, WE are your real family, we'll do as much for you as a real brother and sister would, Mr and Mrs Weasley would be the same as parents and Sirius and Remus are like favourite, eccentric uncles. It really is a big, demented family Harry. Maybe blood isn't as thick as people once thought."  
  
"I still wonder what happened to me rea-my biological family. Aside from my mum and dad I mean."  
  
"Well they clearly died, I mean if they aren't here they're dead..."  
  
"Ron, shut up, just shut up." Hermione said. "Maybe Lupin knows."  
  
"He didn't know all too much about my Dad though."  
  
"And Sirius doesn't know much about your Mum, have you noticed that? I mean Sirius knows all about your dad so Lupin must know all about your Mum."  
  
"That's a stupid idea Hermione, what makes you think that?"  
  
"Oh shut up Ron, I'm going to go find Lupin." Harry got up and left the common room.  
  
"What now Potter?"  
  
"Do you never sleep? You are always here, always."  
  
Snape looked at him wearily. "What do you need Harry?"  
  
"Lupin, will you take me to where ever he is?"  
  
Snape put his book down and he and Harry walked to Lupin's office.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
Snape jerked his head towards Harry. "He wanted to speak to you."  
  
"Oh, alright Harry." He looked at Snape. "I'll walk him back down when we're done."  
  
Lupin shut his door and gestured towards a chair. "So, what's going on?"  
  
"I wanted to know a bit about my mum, I've asked Sirius about her but Hermione thought that you might, you might know a bit more about her than he does, seeing as you know, you weren't as close to my dad or whatever..." Harry trailed off, he was rambling and he knew it but he didn't care.  
  
Lupin smiled.. "Yes, Hermione would have suggested that."  
  
"Er-what?"  
  
"Hermione attended Hallow's Hill Primary School, the same school that your mother attended and that I attended." Lupin paused to let Harry digest this.  
  
"You're Muggle-born?"  
  
"No, my parents wanted me to get a Muggle education anyways, especially after I was bitten by a werewolf."  
  
"So you knew my mum before my dad did then?"  
  
"Absolutely."  
  
"So what happened to her family?"  
  
"Her parents were already well into middle age when they had Lily. Your grandfather died in your mothers fifth year and you grandmother died when you were about six months old. Nobody knows what happened to your mothers twin brother, he disappeared when they were four."  
  
"Mum had a brother?"  
  
"Yes, I'm not sure but I think he would have turned out to be a wizard as well."  
  
"Was he killed?"  
  
"May have been, as I said, nobody knows for sure what happened to him."  
  
"How come you started hanging out with my dad if you were friends with my mum first?"  
  
"I wasn't a very popular kid, the Maradaurs gave me the opportunity to be part of a group, although I never stopped being friends with your mother."  
  
"Did you, did you ever go out with her?"  
  
Lupin laughed softly. "Never."  
  
Harry had the feeling this subject made Lupin uncomfortable so he didn't pursue it. "Why didn't my parents make you secret keeper?"  
  
Lupin shrugged. "If they weren't dead you could ask them."  
  
"Hey, Lupin?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I had this dream the other night, I was in this ballroom and all these ghosts were in it, Ron and Sirius and my parents and then they disappeared and Voldemort appeared. D'you think it means all those ghosts are going to be killed by him?"  
  
Lupin sighed and massauged his forehead. "Yes. Yes Harry I think that that is exactly what it means and there is nothing you can do for it but wait until it's your time to fight. Don't worry about the future now."  
  
Harry sat, stunned. He had told Lupin about the dream expecting reassurance. What he got was the very painful truth.  
  
"I'm sorry Harry. I shouldn't have been so blunt but that dream is very blatant about what is going to happen. You can't fight it Harry, there's a great wide open out there, enjoy it. People die Harry. They die, some of them die horrbly and some don't, but they die just the same. I suggest you forget about the dream, forget that whoever was in the dream is going to die and just get on with your life. I'm going to die one day and I know it, I just tuck it into the back of my mind and move on. That's what you need to do."  
  
"Oh." Was all Harry could think to say.  
  
Lupin smiled. "Harry, I think it's time you go back to the common room, okay?"  
  
Harry nodded and they walked back to the common room. "Harry..."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Don't worry."  
  
"I know. I know." 


	14. Have to

"If we dropped McGonagall out of the window would she land on her feet, d'you think?"  
  
"She might, but I wouldn't chance it. We should just sneak into her bedroom and stab her quickly with a fork."  
  
"First of all, we are NOT sneaking into her bedroom and secondly, a FORK!!? What are you thinking?"  
  
"I dunno, forks are easy to get a hold of."  
  
"So are knives."  
  
"Nuh-uh, McGonagall frisks me whenever I leave the Great Hall."  
  
"She's got you pegged."  
  
"I tried to tell her that I needed the knife to stab Voldemort should he sneak into the common room and she snarled at me."  
  
"What were you going to do with it?"  
  
"I was going to try and skin Mrs Norris."  
  
Ron shook his head. "I can't believe school starts in a week. What happened to summer?"  
  
"We spent it here."  
  
"Oh yeah. It's been Hermione's dream. Say," Ron said casually. "What's going on with you and Hermione anyway?"  
  
"Well. Um, well, I guess, uh, maybe you should, uh, ask her."  
  
"You're going to start dating "officially.'" Ron said softly.  
  
Harry rubbed the back of his neck. "Uh, yeah, yeah I guess. I'm sorry Ron, I really am, it's just."  
  
"You like her too, I understand."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Actually no, but I thought it sounded crass to say that I didn't understand."  
  
"Speak of the devil." Harry said under his breath as Hermione came in. "Where were you?"  
  
"I was in the teachers lounge, did you know that there's another Creevey brother?"  
  
"Oh bleeding Christ, good thing I smoke already or this would make me start."  
  
Ron sensing a Hermione blow-up about the smoking prepared to leave the common room quietly.  
  
"Good. Give me one."  
  
"You're getting very demanding, it must be that time of month."  
  
"Oh shut up. You don't even know what that means." Hermione said, lighting the cigarette and leaning back on the chesterfield.  
  
"Maybe she's pregnant." Ron suggested.  
  
"Good thing we're already in the hills because that's where I'd be heading if she was."  
  
"Oh you two!" Hermione exclaimed, shaking her head.  
  
Ron tapped a cigarette out of his pack.  
  
"When did you start?" Hermione asked, surprised.  
  
"First year." Ron said.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I decided that if I was going to have a disgusting, filthy, unhealthy and vile habit I should start young."  
  
Hermione looked at the cigarette between her fingers. "There are no benefits to smoking."  
  
"You can't get vereneal diseases from them."  
  
"They don't give you lightning shaped scars on your forehead."  
  
Hermione shook her head and pulled her hair back from her face with one hand.  
  
"That looks very good sweetheart, you should do it like that more often. It makes it look less-bushy."  
  
Hermione smiled brightly. "So are you allowed to go shopping in Diagon?"  
  
"No, Diagon mean danger, many wizards waiting to steal me."  
  
"Personally, I don't know why they would want to kidnap you, I'm far better looking."  
  
"Shut up Ron, you look like a Fisher-Price toy."  
  
"Oh hush, who's going to get you're school supplies for you then?"  
  
"Mrs Weasley. She's going to pick all my stuff up, I suppose you'll want to go too?"  
  
"Oh no, I'll stay here with you, you can do my hair for me." She eyed Harry's messy hair warily. "Since you care about it so much."  
  
"Did you hear about what happened to Amos Diggory?"  
  
"No, what happened?"  
  
"He went out on a drinking binge and totally ruined his liver, according to dad he gets piss drunk off one beer now."  
  
"Oh that's terrible! The poor guy, it must be so hard to lose your son."  
  
"Actually it appears he went on this binge after his mistress broke up with him."  
  
"That's just gossip."  
  
"No it's not, my mum told me."  
  
"Oh yeah, and I was involved in a scandelous love triangle with Harry and Viktor last year too."  
  
"Could be possible." Ron said looking at the two of them cuddled on the chesterfield.  
  
"Put a sock in it." Harry said comfortably.  
  
"Wel I had better get going then."  
  
"You're leaving already?"  
  
"Yeah, Bill's home and he wants to see me so I won't be back until the day before school starts, they don't want me on the train with the general population." He said grinning.  
  
"Alright." Harry said standing up, "I'll see you next week then."  
  
Ron nodded and Harry walked him to the entrance.  
  
He came back and collapsed beside Hermione on the chesterfield. "How come you didn't want to go with Ron?"  
  
"He likes me doesn't he?" Hermione said, not answering the question.  
  
Harry shrugged. "I suppose so, but he'll get over it."  
  
"You think?"  
  
"Sure, he got over Scabbers."  
  
"That's because Scabbers turned out to be a murderer."  
  
"Oh yeah, well, he'll still get over it."  
  
Hermione laughed. "I suppose he'll have to." 


	15. Para entender, to understand Para creer,...

"Look at my timetable, it looks like I have a ton of classes on here but in reality I have a spare half-hour, see, right here between Transfiguration and Potions."  
  
"How clever of you."  
  
"I thought it was."  
  
"I can feel my brain shorting the longer I spend with you."  
  
"You just hush, you offered to come, I didn't drag you off in chains. What did I do with my pants?'  
  
"You're wearing them."  
  
"Would you look at that, I am."  
  
Hermione shook her head. "So then you're actually going to be able to go to classes and everything, with the general population?"  
  
"Yeah, I need a formal escort and garbage like that but it's pretty okay I guess. At least I don't have to sit in this stupid common room day after day."  
  
"I know, it's so tough, but I suppose it's because they care about you."  
  
"I don't know, if my survival wasn't a keystone in the defeat of Voldemort I think they would have just let me go. They didn't really care all too much about the Dursleys and they knew they were in danger."  
  
Hermione nodded. "Well there are a few people who care about you, the Weasleys and Lupin, Sirius and I. It isn't as though you've been left under the protection of people who wish you would just drop out of sight."  
  
"Ha-ha. What about Snape?"  
  
"I don't know, he seems to be getting better in the past weeks."  
  
"Oh hey! Guess what Lupin told me."  
  
"What?"  
  
"My mum had this twin brother who disappeared when they were just wee, no one knows what happened to him. Lupin reckons he's a wizard too, if he's still alive."  
  
"That's odd, you don't suppose.."  
  
"Don't suppose what?"  
  
"Well, you don't think he knows he's your uncle do you? I mean, if he's alive."  
  
"I never really thought of that. If he was don't you think he would have come to my rescue when my mum and dad died?"  
  
"Maybe he did, in a very subtle way, you know Snape turned back to the "good" side almost immediately after your parents were killed."  
  
"Ahhhhh! Not Snape! Hermione, that's sacrilege. And it's gross, besides, Snape looks nothing like my mum or aunt Petunia."  
  
"It was just a suggestion! Don't get your knickers in a knot."  
  
"I don't wear knickers."  
  
"Harry, it's just an expression. Anyway, the other possibility is that Lupin is your uncle."  
  
Harry was about to loudly protest the lack of family resemblance but he stopped to think. Lupin knew all about his mother, he never dated her, he disappeared when he was four, Hary knew for a fact that Lupin had been four years old when he was bitten by a werewolf. "Could it be they gave him to a wizarding family that knew how to deal with it properly?" He wondered out-loud.  
  
"It's very possible Harry. You should go talk to him."  
  
Harry nodded. "I'll be back in an hour or so."  
  
He bounded out of the common room. "What now Potter?"  
  
"Lupins."  
  
Snape got up and walked him towards Lupins. "Did you know that when you read you move your lips? You should stop doing that, it looks very un- dignified."  
  
"Shut up and maybe you'll live till next Thursday."  
  
"You also shouldn't say that. Say "Silence!" in a really loud booming voice. It'll make you more intimidating. Right now you're as scary as pink bunny slippers with a light up nose. You should work on that before the firsties get here."  
  
"Lupin! Take him now or you will find the inside of your grave a lot sooner than first expected."  
  
Harry grinned and toddled into the office. "So! I'm having a bit of a problem here."  
  
"Oh? What is it?"  
  
"Well, you see I'm wondering whether I should call you Remus, or Uncle Remus or Professor Lupin or Professor Evans? Can you see my dilemma? So many names so little time."  
  
"I'm impressed Harry. It took you two days to figure out something that took me ten years."  
  
"Ten years? Really?"  
  
"Yes, I would have been fourteen when it finally got through to me and Lily. That's why my adoptive parents sent me to a Muggle school, they weren't sure if I would be a wizard or not."  
  
"Why didn't you just tell me?"  
  
"Because you've done nothing all summer and your brain is turning to condensed soup."  
  
"Ha-ha. Seriously though."  
  
"Sometimes people don't believe what they're told. They need to find out for themselves, then, and only then, will they believe it."  
  
How true, Harry thought. 


	16. Center Of The Forest

"That's really, really weird."  
  
Harry had just finished telling Hermione about what had happened in Lupin's office. "Isn't it though? Ron will have a heyday. I can't wait until everyone comes back tomorrow. I'm so bored. No offence or anything." He added quickly.  
  
Hermione smiled wryly. "I'm sorry my liege, what can I do to make your stay more comfortable?"  
  
"Stop talking in that bored monotone for one, it makes me feel unimportant."  
  
"And that's the very last thing we'd want." Hermione said, rolling her eyes.  
  
Just then Snape burst into the comon room. "POTTER! GRANGER! COME! NOW!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"DON'T ASK QUESTIONS! JUST RUN!"  
  
Hermione glanced at Harry for reassurance but he was not looking at her. They followed Snape through the corridors and out into the courtyard. They went past Hagrid's hut and didn't stop until they reached the edge of the Forbidden Forest.  
  
"We don't have much time." Snape said. "Harry, you take this lamp and this bag. It has a change of robes and some food. Just walk, Harry. Walk until you reach the center of the forest."  
  
"How do I know when I've reached the center?"  
  
"You'll know." Snape said urgently. "Miss Granger, you'll come with me."  
  
Harry looked at Snape and then at Hermione but no further commands were issued.  
  
He took his lamp and his bag, and, feeling more alone than he had in his entire life Harry started walking. There was the possibility that this was a trap and Snape was intending to kill him but Harry knew that if Snape wanted him dead that bad he would have killed him with any means possible. He struggled over tree roots and around animals. He had no idea if he was going in the right direction. All he knew was that it was very dark and very cold. And that he was scared.  
  
He wrapped his arms around his body and walked along, shivering with cold and fear. The first creature he made contact with was a centaur. It walked right up to him and he nearly fell over with shock and fear.  
  
"We have been waiting for you, Harry Potter."  
  
"Great, well I imagine my flesh will be kind of tough and don't let anyone eat my lungs, I'm very possesive about them."  
  
The centaur, who Harry knew was quite young, was startled into silence for a moment. "We do not intend to-eat-you Harry Potter, we wish to help you."  
  
"Great, give me directions to the centre of this forest and I'll be indebted to you forever." Harry said sourly.  
  
"Harry Potter," the centaur said, completely ignoring him. "You are in grave danger here."  
  
"Go figure." Harry muttered.  
  
"You must journey to the center of this forest where you will find a safe place and further instruction."  
  
"Thanks for the help." Harry said dryly.  
  
He did not make contact with any more creatures for almost half an hour. The second creature was an imp and it pushed him over, chuckled heartily and scurried away before he could wring it's neck. The next creature, however, Harry recognised.  
  
"Fawkes?" Harry said softly. But as the Phoenix flew closer Harry realised it was too small to be Fawkes, yet it seemed strangely familiar, like he had seen it many times before. "Penny." He said, unsure of why this name sounded so right. He put his arm up into the air and the bird flew down and landed gracefully. "Penny." He said again. "Where have I heard that before?" he wondered out loud.  
  
Suddenly his eyes flew open. He let the bird off and dug around in his pockets, searching for the photo album he always kept with him. He flipped through the pagesof the album and found the picture he had been looking for. He pulled it out and flipped it over. HARRY & PENNY OCT.15  
  
Harry looked at the phoenix. "Hey Penny, you going to help me out here or what?"  
  
The phoenix let out a quavering note and Harry stood and continued his journey, satisfied. The phoenix flew ahead, never straying too far from Harry. The last creature Harry saw on his journey through the forest was a unicorn. "Reckon we should go after it Penny?" Harry asked. They bird sang. "Alright." Harry said, "if you insist."  
  
Harry ran after the unicorn, weaving in and out of trees, the phoenix song lulling him, giving him strength as he ran. And as he followed the unicorn he found the forest growing brighter and lighter and suddenly the unicorn stopped and Harry caught up with it. The center of the forest.  
  
"Mum?" Harry said, "Dad?" 


	17. Harry and Penny

Harry raised his arm and the bird flew off, hovering in the air. His mother reached out to touch his face, and she smiled quietly. "Harry."  
  
Harry bit back his tears and turned away. "What are you doing here? Are you alive?" He asked when he turned back.  
  
"No Harry, we are not alive, but we are not dead either."  
  
"Then you can come back?" Harry said hopefully.  
  
"No sweet, but we cannot die either. We will not rest until Voldemort is destroyed." His mother smiled sadly.  
  
"But, if you're here now, I mean, can't you just leave, and we'll be like a real family?" Even as Harry spoke he knew his question was in vain.  
  
"We are jerked from place to place, our souls follow Voldemort. That's why it's dangerous for you to be here. For you to follow us."  
  
"But we had to see you, even just once." His mother reached out to touch his face, but even as her fingers were brushing his cheek, she was disappearing.  
  
"We love you Harry. Be strong." And his father disappeared, his mother seconds later.  
  
Harry turned to the phoenix, tears in his eyes. "Ready to go Pen?"  
  
The phoenix leaned its head on Harry's shoulder and wept with him, but all the phoenix tears in the world could not mend his broken heart.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"So what happened to you?" Harry asked, when he finished telling Hermione about what happened in the forest.  
  
"Well Snape took me to Dumbledore's office, and he told me somewhat of what you told me just now. He also said that-Oh Harry, he said I can't go home again."  
  
"What?"  
  
"He said they, he said that I, oh Harry! I can't go home!"  
  
Harry didn't press her for details, only took her in his arms and let her weep. She cried herself to sleep and Harry left her on the chesterfield and went to talk to Snape.  
  
"You should be in bed Potter." Snape said, not looking up.  
  
"Why can't she go home?" Harry asked, ignoring Snape.  
  
"It's not safe to send you home. Any of you. Not Ron, not Hermione and most definitely not you." It was the first time Snape had allowed himself to use anything other than their last names.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because they're after you, and consequently Potter, they're after the people who know where you are. It isn't safe."  
  
"So why can't we just not tell them where I am?"  
  
"Sounds like a good idea Potter. In fact, we'll send envoys to the Dark Lord and let him know they have no idea where you are too. Perhaps he'll even believe us. Oh yes Potter, it sounds very good indeed."  
  
Harry took a deep breath to keep himself from throttling Snape. "I just wanted to see if there were any other options for them. They shouldn't be punished just because they're my friends."  
  
"The headmaster has thought about this for a long time, he decided this was the only entirely safe option."  
  
"Screw the headmaster." Harry said under his breath, then in a louder voice, "I suppose he considered what will happen should Voldemort never be destroyed? He can't keep us here forever."  
  
"Trust me Potter, I have done everything possible to give you three your freedom. I want you here even less than you want to be here."  
  
"I've grown quite fond of you too." Harry said, and walked back into the common room.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Ron arrived first thing the next morning to find Hermione sleeping on the chesterfield and Harry sprawled out on the floor. "Rough night?" He asked, rousing Harry.  
  
"Shut up."  
  
"There are beds upstairs unless I'm mistaken."  
  
"I was really tired. And I was trying to study." As if to prove his point Harry peeled a page from his book off his face.  
  
"Oh yeah," Ron said, lifting the book up. "Postman Pat Goes To Spain" Yeah, looks like you were studying hard."  
  
Harry looked at the book and raised his eyebrows. "Postman Pat's cool. He like has this cat and stuff. And he delivers the post."  
  
"No shit Sherlock. So what happened while I was gone?"  
  
Harry told Ron the whole story, and when he was done they both looked at Hermione. "Should we wake her up?"  
  
"What's the point?" Harry asked. "It's not like we have anything to do today. Or any day. You know, if Voldemort's planning to do anything to us, I wish that he would hurry up and start. But they won't let me go after him, so we have to wait for him to do something."  
  
"Maybe he won't ever start a war." Ron said, voicing everyone's greatest fear. "Maybe he'll just strike randomly forever, and we'll be stuck here until we graduate."  
  
Harry looked at his best friend. "Do you think that will actually happen?"  
  
"There wasn't a war last time." Ron said carefully. "There's always a possibility."  
  
Harry sighed. "But there is a possibility we'll get out of here before then right?"  
  
"You-Know-Who will probably just wait until we graduate to kill you. He's waited fourteen years already."  
  
Harry sighed again. "I'm going to go talk to Seamus."  
  
Ron shrugged. "Seamus?"  
  
"Sure. That way, if someone tortures him for information, no one will care."  
  
Harry got up and walked over to Seamus, who was sitting in a corner, frantically trying to finish his summer homework.  
  
"Hey Finnigan."  
  
"Hello Harry. What's the matter?"  
  
"I'm putting people in danger just by being their friends." Harry said hollowly.  
  
"So what are you going to do about it?" Seamus asked, suddenly turning and attacking the parchment with force, scrawling down a paragraph in twenty seconds.  
  
Harry shrugged. "Leave. I suppose. Just leave one day, and not tell anyone where I'm going or what I'm going to do. I'll just leave."  
  
"Oh yeah, that would be clever Harry, uh huh, really clever. Besides, there's a certain glory in being the hunted," Seamus stopped for a moment, put several large slashes through his paper and turned back to Harry calmly. "What would Weasley do if he didn't have that," Seamus paused with a sophisticated flourish. "Stigma?"  
  
"Well gee Seamus, when you put it THAT way, Ron and Hermione should be grateful that they can never see their families again."  
  
"Exactly."  
  
"You are so full of crap Seamus, it isn't even funny."  
  
"I am NOT full of crap. I am an optimist."  
  
"Everyone loves an optimist." Harry replied sarcastically.  
  
"I know, but it's strange. People have an absurd tendency to threaten my life."  
  
"Are you going to help me or not?"  
  
"Help you do what?" Seamus asked, puzzeled.  
  
Harry threw his hands in the air and made to stand up. "Never mind! I should have known I'd never get help from you."  
  
"Hey! Get back here and sit down. Ask me to help and then leave. Christ...What do you want help with?"  
  
"Oh I don't know! I just can't talk to Ron and Hermione about it."  
  
Seamus sighed. "My da's family were all Muggles. They made their living fishing. They never had much money, but they got by, but my da always wanted something better. Across the bay, there was a man named Gideon Kelleher. He had the nicest boat you could want." Harry had no idea where Seamus was going with this, but he thought it was better to just let him run off his steam. "All my da ever wanted was a boat like Gideons, but he never had the money. Eventually he married my mam, and fishing was forgot in favour other enterprises. All legitimate of course." Seamus said firmly, eyeing Harry sharply. "But every year, when the big ships set off for the beginning of the season, da would take his mug and go and stand outside, waiting for the boats to go by, and every year he'd come back in and tell my mam, 'Ye know Mary, I'd be happy if I could only have a boat like old Gideon.' Of course mam and I couldn't ken why he'd want a boat, he's a politician, not a fisherman, but finally mam got sick and tired of hearing da whine about his wee trawler and she went to Cork and bought him a boat like old Gideons. Da's used it once, maybe twice, but he's happier than he's ever been in his life."  
  
Harry sat in silence for a while. "So, you mean that maybe I want to leave, for no other reason than to leave?"  
  
"What? No, I never said that. I just thought it was a funny story."  
  
Harry's jaw dropped. "There was no reason for that story then?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Seamus! You are completely mad!"  
  
"You know I get that a lot. It doesn't matter Harry, where you go. You could move to the States, become a Yankee and wear one of those horrible belt buckles, you could move to Canada and freeze your ass of ten months of the year, you could go to Holland and smoke it up legally or you can stay in England and marry a man. Wherever you go, no matter what their laws are, they'll find you and they'll kill you. The luckier you are, the faster you'll die." Seamus smiled brightly. "This Transfiguration homework was quite easy, don't you think?"  
  
Harry looked at Seamus' summer homework, worn, shredded and soaked with ink. "Yeah. Really easy." One more thing to add to his mystery list. Seamus Finnigan. 


	18. New Professor

Harry walked down the corridor to the Great Hall, conscious of stares from other students. Hermione took his hand and the two of them, with Ron, kept their heads up and didn't look at anyone else.  
  
"Students! It is wonderful to have you back for another year, in the best health, as I know that some were not so fortunate this summer-"  
  
Harry's mind wandered aimlessly, until the doors to the Great Hall opened. Students gasped as Sirius Black stepped in. "What's he doing here?"  
  
Hermione asked. Harry shrugged. "Ah yes, we would also like to introduce our new Divination teacher, Sirius Black." Dumbledore went on to explain about the clearing of Sirius' name to the few who had not yet heard about it.  
  
"Divination?" Ron said, wrinkling his nose.  
  
"What happened to Trelawney?" Dean asked.  
  
"Beats me," Harry shrugged. "But Sirius has to be better than her."  
  
"I'm not to sure if I feel comfortable with this." Lavender said airily.  
  
'What? You don't feel comfortable with him being an accused murderer, or with him not favouring you because Bigglesworth died?" Seamus asked.  
  
"His name was Binky," Lavender sniffed. "And I don't like the way he looked at me."  
  
"Oh yeah, definitely. He was undressing you with his eyes Lavender. Take a long look at his hands when we do palmistry, you know what they say about the size of a man's hands, you might have quite the catch there-"  
  
"Shut up!" Lavender cut Seamus off, throwing a roll at his head. He grabbed it and tore into it with his teeth, staring at Lavender all the while. Her eyes grew wide and she reached across the table and slapped him across the face. Ron almost choked from laughing.  
  
"Do you think it's safe to have him here?" Hermione asked in low tones.  
  
Harry shrugged. "Dubladore's prob'ly got 'is reasons."  
  
"That is disgusting Harry. Don't talk with your mouth full. What would your mother say?"  
  
"You're exactly right." Harry pulled his slobbery roll out of his mouth. "As I was saying-"  
  
"Harry! That is repulsive!"  
  
"I try."  
  
"You don't suppose Sirius is here to protect you?" Hermione asked, after a final, disgusted look at Harry.  
  
"Wow Hermione, I never would have thought of THAT. Where'd you come up with it?" Ron asked sarcastically.  
  
Hermione sneered at him, and then turned back to Harry. "Well?"  
  
"Oh probably. It's not as though Sirius has any interest in Divination." It was true, because at the same time, a different conversation was happening at the Head Table.  
  
"I'll swap you jobs Remus." Sirius said hopefully.  
  
"No way."  
  
"What about you Flitwick? Reckon you'd like a change of pace?"  
  
"Not on your life young Sirius."  
  
"Hey! Professor McGonagall! You like Divination-"  
  
"I can still have you out of this school in a heartbeat Black, I wouldn't push my luck if I were you." McGonagall said calmly.  
  
"I would ask you Severus, but the dungeons probably smell like you, and I'm allergic."  
  
"Allergic to the dungeons?"  
  
"No, allergic to you." Sirius laughed, ducking to hide from Snape's glare.  
  
After dinner Harry took Hermione's hand and they walked back to Gryffindor Tower. "So do you think Sirius is here for any reason other than to protect you?" She asked when they sat down.  
  
Harry shrugged. "If he is he's wasting his time, because you're the one I need." He pushed her hair back and sang softly in her ear. She giggled and blushed, pushing him away.  
  
Across the common room Ron grimaced his distaste. Dean frowned too. "Potter and Granger. Jesus."  
  
Seamus, however, was grinning. "Come on Thomas, pay up. Eighteen galleons, none of that paper garbage you Muggles call money."  
  
Dean glared at Seamus but handed him the money. "You bet on this?" Ron asked incredulously.  
  
"Sure. Dean here put fifty galleons on Neville and Granger. I, of course, bet on the right people."  
  
"I can't believe you bet on a relationship! Can't you-"  
  
"I also put ten galleons, fourteen sickles on you and Parvati."  
  
"Really?" Ron said, brightening.  
  
Seamus shook his head, grinning.  
  
~*~  
  
Harry and Ron walked up to the Divination tower, wondering aloud about Sirius' first lesson.  
  
They sat down at a table with Seamus and Dean and waited for Sirius to come in. He entered the room a few minutes later, his face twisted into a grimace of distaste. "Divination isn't real. Do whatever you want for the next hour."  
  
There was stunned silence for a moment, then just as everyone was getting ready to cheer Parvati Patil shoved her hand into the air. "Professor Black! You can't just not teach us! This is a class, and I believe in Divination."  
  
"Oh good lord." Sirius muttered. "Alright, get out Unfogging the Future and turn it to freelance prediction."  
  
"Professor! We aren't ready for that." Lavender said.  
  
"If you want to do Divination you'll do what I tell you to." Sirius said pleasantly, then in a more threating voice, "Turn it to freelance prediction."  
  
They turned to freelance prediction.  
  
"Read the chapter and then make a list of ten predictions. If any of the predictions come true you pass this class. If none of the predictions come true you fail this class."  
  
"Professor! That's completely unfair!" Parvati screeched.  
  
"I predict a large round ZERO on your page Miss Patil." Parvati gave him a look but shut up.  
  
Harry and Ron finished scrawling down their predictions and went over to Sirius' desk. "What are you doing here?" Harry asked.  
  
"I'm helping fugitive slaves escape from the Americas." Sirius said sarcastically. "What does it look like?"  
  
"I mean, like what are you doing?"  
  
"I'm not here to protect you Harry, or to get into your hair or check your dinner for poison. I'm here because I needed a job."  
  
"What happened to Trelawney?" Ron asked.  
  
Sirius shrugged. "I think she went to Beaubatons. It's mistier there or something."  
  
Harry and Ron exchanged a look. "So why did you come here? Why didn't you get a job somewhere else?"  
  
"Somewhere better." Ron interjected.  
  
"There's really no place better than Hogwarts. You'll realise that ten minutes after you graduate. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to have a nap."  
  
Harry and Ron looked at each other and shrugged. As students began to finish their assignment they turned to Sirius who showed no intention of giving them any more work. "Professor, with all due respect, is this all we'll do every class?"  
  
"You can chart your predictions, create a probability graph on the likelihood of their coming true and hand a new one in with new predictions every week."  
  
"What? Professor that's insane!"  
  
"Well then, what's the problem? Hand in your predictions at the end of the class. I'll use them for kindling." 


	19. You

Harry, Ron and Hermione sat in a far corner of the common room, talking quietly. "We're never going to get out of here you guys." Hermione said.  
  
"I know." Hary replied. "They won't let us out until Voldemort is found, but they aren't trying to find Voldemort."  
  
"Stop saying his name." Ron said.  
  
"Everyone's scared of him. That's why we'll never get out of here, people are to scared for themselves, no one will risk their lives for others.  
  
"Seamus come over here a minute." Harry called, with sudden inspiration.  
  
Seamus swaggered over and dropped into a chair. "Whadaya want Potter?"  
  
"Your mum's a hit witch right?"  
  
"Better believe it." Seamus said, massaging a bruise on his arm.  
  
"And she has certain, equiptment, so to speak, to track down death eaters, am I right?"  
  
"You're right."  
  
"Could you get me some of these things?"  
  
"Why Harry! I can't believe you'd ask me to do such a thing!" Seamus said, while rubbing his fingers together in a familiar gesture of money.  
  
"Would twenty five galleons get me some of these things?"  
  
"I would never accept a bribe!"  
  
"One hundred?"  
  
"How's tomorrow?"  
  
~*~  
  
Harry and Seamus sat in a far corner of the common room one night later, a mass of things sitting on a table in front of them. "This," Seamus said, pointing at a tiny black circle, "Is all you'll need. The rest of this is just for show. Press the top of this and the Dark Mark will burn on death eaters arms, then all you need to do is find a death eater and follow them. You'll find the Dark Lord." Seamus smiled brightly.  
  
"Then why don't people use it?"  
  
"Because it sends massive amounts of magic through your body resulting in death."  
  
Harry looked at the black object. "So why did they make it if it kills you?"  
  
"Well they didn't know it killed you when they made it you idiot."  
  
"Is there anything that can help me Finnegan?"  
  
Seamus looked at Harry carefully, and seemingly finding him trustworthy, began to speak. "There is one thing Harry, but it's risky and you'll have to trust the person who's doing it for you completely."  
  
Harry's immediate thought was of Ron but Seamus shook his head. "And it can't be Ron or Hermione."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because Potter, it can't be." The tone of Seamus' voice warned Harry not to ask any more questions.  
  
"So what is it?"  
  
"You need a spy." For a minute Harry was tempted to laugh, there were tons of spies he was sure, and how would a spy help him? Seamus did not smile.  
  
"There are a total of seven spies in the world. Three of them are insane, two of them are missing and the remaining two are in this very school."  
  
"Who are they?" Harry asked.  
  
Seamus ignored him. "You need a spy you trust, clearly the insane ones won't work-"  
  
"Who are they?"  
  
"Frank Longbottom, Cadence O'Flaherty and Marnie Collstrum. The ones who are missing are probably dead, so it's best not to count on them, which means you need one of the two in this school. Think Harry, who do you trust most in this whole school?"  
  
"Ron."  
  
"Besides him."  
  
"Dumbledore."  
  
"Won't work."  
  
"Would you just tell me who the other spies are?"  
  
"Snape."  
  
"Who's the other one?"  
  
"But you probably wouldn't want him, would you?" Seamus said, ignoring him.  
  
"Tell me who the other spy is."  
  
"I am."  
  
"No you're not. Tell me!"  
  
"I am. I'm the other spy. Now, you can always find a different person, Misha Vladmirovich is a close friend of mine, if we could find him-"  
  
"You're the other spy?" Hary said incredulously. "I had no idea."  
  
"Well if everyone knew I was a spy it would defeat the purpose wouldn't it?" Seamus sneered.  
  
Harry blushed. "But you're so young."  
  
"And innocent looking." Harry looked at Seamus and decided that he was one of the least innocent looking peoople he'd ever seen. He thought for a moment. What would he do once someone found Voldemort? What could he do?  
  
"There's no point." He said sadly, answering his questions.  
  
What do you mean, there's no point?" Seamus asked. "Of course there is! If you want to get out of here. You do want out of here, don't you?"  
  
"Yeah, but what happens when you do find Voldemort? What then? If it was as easy as just killing him someone would have done it already."  
  
"It is as easy as just killing him. But for the fact no one can find him."  
  
"So what does that mean?"  
  
"That means, Potter, that we are missing one crucial factor in tracking him."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"You." 


	20. An ego heals all wounds

Harry blinked. "Why do they need me?"  
  
"You're like a metal detector. The closer you get to you-know-who the more you beep. But of course Dumbledore won't let you be used for that purpose. Unless you do it behind his back."  
  
"Fat chance," Harry mumbled, disheartened. "Dumbledore watches me like a hawk."  
  
Seamus smiled brightly and Harry wanted to punch him. "But he doesn't watch me and Dean."  
  
"So?"  
  
"So take a Polyjuice Potion that turns you into Dean, then you and I wander out into the school grounds and disappear."  
  
"I can't Disapparate."  
  
"Did I say Disapparate? Nooooooo."  
  
"I can't make a Polyjuice Potion." Harry said, this time with the faintest hope.  
  
"Harry, if your Granger can't make a Polyjuice Potion I'll be sore disappointed in her."  
  
"We can't bring Hermione into this."  
  
"She's already in this Harry, whether you like it or not."  
  
Harry looked at Hermione and sighed. "It takes a month for Hermione to make a Polyjuice Potion."  
  
"And it'll take a month for me to get Misha back into commission. Perfect." Seamus grinned. It was on.  
  
~*~  
  
"Harry, the only way I'll make you this potion is if you let me come with you."  
  
"Herm, I can't. I want you to come but you can't."  
  
"Why not Harry?"  
  
"Because Seamus said no."  
  
"Oh and since when is Seamus the supreme authority on everything?"  
  
"Hermione-"  
  
"Seamus! Get over here!" Hermione called across the common room. Seamus got up and sauntered over.  
  
"Hermione-" Harry moaned.  
  
"Hermione! You look simply ravishing. What ever would a girl like you want with a scoundrel like me?" Hermione, it appeared, was the only girl immune to Seamus' incredible charm.  
  
"Why won't you let me go with you guys?"  
  
"Oh Hermione! Is that what this is about? We need you for this operation, and if coming with us will make you happy then by all means, come with us, but Hermione, it's your safety that I'm worried about. Dearest Hermione, I couldn't bear it if you were to be injured on this spontaneous, barely planned expedition-"  
  
"It's not working Finnegan."  
  
Seamus sighed. "Alright, alright. You can come. But you do what I say word for word, and no flirting. With Harry or anyone." He stood. "Start the potion tonight. The faster it gets done the faster Misha gets out of hiding." He bowed over Hermione's hand, a smirk on his face, and turned to leave. "Cheerio."  
  
They watched Seamus' retreating back and Hermione turned to Harry. "He doesn't seem quite sane, does he."  
  
"His name is Seamus. What do you expect."  
  
~*~  
  
Seamus sat at the edge of the lake. It was midnight and it was almost time. He waited a few seconds more and turned abruptly. Misha Vladmirovich stood there, as Seamus expected. "Always on time Vladmirovich."  
  
"Vut do you need Finnegan?"  
  
Seamus looked at the young man for a moment before answering. He was, at sixteen, already a seasoned spy. He was at least 5'11 with formidable green eyes and thick dark hair. Though he had been raised in Switzerland he had a thick Russian accent. Very scary, Seamus decided.  
  
"I've reached and agreement with Harry Potter. We've got him. The Dark Lord I mean."  
  
"Potter is heavily guarded."  
  
"Yes, but we have someone making a Polyjuice Potion. He'll switch identities and by the time it's noticed we'll be far away."  
  
"You haff thought vell on zis."  
  
"I want Voldemort gone." Seamus flinched as he said the name, but Misha did not seem to notice, he was deep in thought.  
  
"It is good that you came to me, Finnegan, and did not go searching for Samuels."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because Samuels has ze devil in his own heart. If he knew you had Harry Potter's trust, he would turn you in faster than anything. He is not a shvizbik, he is a demon." Misha shook his head. "It is spy versus spy, Mr Finnegan. You must not turn your back."  
  
They stood silently for several minutes before Seamus spoke. "You will have to use your wand Misha. I can't do it."  
  
Misha nodded. "I can kill, Seamus. Find me the Dark Lord and I can kill."  
  
Seamus stood alone for a long while after Misha left, thinking and hoping. Thinking about the future, hoping it would be better then the present. He sighed. It wouldn't matter whther he and Misha found Voldemort, whether he and Misha killed him. It would be Harry who was glorified, it would be Harry who was celebrated and it would be Seamus who would brush the dirt off his own robes and blend back into the scenery. "Why couldn't MY parents have been killed?" He smiled as he spoke. "Because they need to make more beautiful people like me." An ego heals all wounds. 


	21. When we get there

Harry, and Hermione stood across from each other in Moaning Myrtle's washroom. The Polyjuice Potion was finished, and both of them had a hair from the person they wanted to change into. Harry's was Dean and Hermione's was Hannah Abbott. Seamus stood in front of the window, his hands folded behind his back, is face a mask of contentment. He walked over to where Harry and Hermione stood. He lifted a glass of something and raised it towards Harry and Hermione. He smiled slightly. "Bottoms up."  
  
~*~  
  
The three of them walked out onto the grounds, waving at Professor McGonagall as they walked out the door. "Finnegan! What are you up to?" She barked.  
  
"Heading into the Forbidden forest with Harry and Hermione, who are disguised as Hannah and Dean. We're searching for the Dark Lord, and then we're going to kill him, with the aid of a wanted murderer."  
  
"Don't give me lip Finnegan, or you'll have detention until you graduate." She paused. "And with the way your marks look, I might die before that happens."  
  
Seamus smiled brightly. "Of course you won't die before that happens! You look hardly a day over thirty, instead of the fifty that you are." Harry was surprised to see a flicker of a smile on McGonagall's face before she she rolled her eyes at Seamus and turned away.  
  
"Gift of blarney." Seamus said distractedly when Harry and Hermione looked at him with jaws dropped and eyebrows raised.  
  
"Where are we going?" Hermione asked, when they had caught up with him.  
  
"Misha."  
  
"Where's that?"  
  
'Where's he." Seamus corrected.  
  
"Yes, where's he?"  
  
"Dark forest." Seamus said, his voice was still distracted and he was not looking at them when they spoke.  
  
"Is he actually a wanted murderer?" Harry asked.  
  
Seamus finally looked at him. Grinning, he replied, "No, I just tossed that one in, it didn't sound quite unbelievable enough."  
  
They walked into the forest, Seamus barely noticing the transition into the darkness. "Do you see what I see?" He whispered hurredly under his breath. Harry and Hermione looked at each other but said nothing. "A song, a song high above the trees with a voice as big as the sea. There we go. I forgot which line it was." Harry realised suddenly that the trees were illuminated. He looked at Seamus with admiration. The other boy smiled. "Old trick. Learn it well, in case I don't come back with you."  
  
It was the first and last time anyone suggested that they would not all return together. They walked for almost half an hour more before they came upon Misha. He and Seamus spoke rapid Russian for a minute, stopped abruptly and turned to face Harry and Hermione. "I didn't know you could speak Russian." Harry said dumbly.  
  
Seamus raised his eyebrows and didn't say anything. He leaned over and pulled several objects out of his bag. He set them in front of Misha and stood up. "Do we have a deal?" Misha looked at the objects with discomfort, then he scooped them up. "Ve haff a deal."  
  
Seamus smiled and clapped his hands together. "Excellent. Let's carry on shall we?"  
  
~*~  
  
"What did Seamus give him?" Harry asked Hermione as they walked through the forest.  
  
"It looked like blockers."  
  
"Whats?"  
  
"Blockers. When you learn the Unforgivable curses you need to practise them on something, so you use special dummies called blockers, which react to the curses in the same way a person would."  
  
"Why does he need so many of them?"  
  
"I'm not completely sure, but I think Misha uses the alias Alexei Federov."  
  
"So?"  
  
Hermione heaved an exasperated sigh. "Alexei Federov is responsible for some of the worst crimes against government commited in this century. He's known as the people's bandit in Russia. He overthrew the Russian Ministry for Magic, he broke into their files, he killed anyone who got in his way."  
  
"So why is he called the people's bandit?"  
  
"The Russian Ministry was corrupt. They supported death-eaters, and most people think Russia is where Durmstrang Institute is located. They supported the military training of known criminals and had the largest supply of counterfeit money ever made. Alexei came along and changed all that. He exposed the Ministry and now the needs of Russian wizards are seen to by the Swiss Ministry."  
  
"So why isn't Alexei at home in his bed, rolling in cash and credit?"  
  
"Because Harry, the Russian Ministry members who lost their jobs are angry, they aren't going to let him off easy. Besides, he wants to fight for the good side, and help his people. It's all so romantic."  
  
"Sounds stupid to me."  
  
"Harry, don't be such a git. I didn't say I was going to run away with him. Although he IS terribly handsome."  
  
"He looks like the kind of guy who would chop you into little bits and put them in plastic bags and freeze them and stick a frozen finger or toe into a martini every night."  
  
"Harry! That's disgusting."  
  
"It's true." It was true. Misha looked like the kind of guy you would avoid looking at in stores, the kind of person your mother warned you about. If Snape was creepy then Misha was plain scary.  
  
Hermione jumped when Seamus appeared beside them and began to talk. "Now now you two. Don't be talking about other members of our party." He smiled slyly. "We all have feelings."  
  
"He's so scary Seamus." Hermione said.  
  
"Well gee, maybe you shouldn't have insisted on coming Hermione. If you're scared of Misha just wait."  
  
"I'm not scared of him." Hermione said pointedly.  
  
Seamus shrugged. "I am."  
  
~*~  
  
"Are we there YET?" Seamus whined on the second day. "God, why don't we just APPARATE? Now there's an idea, good one Seamus. How come no one else thought of that?"  
  
"Ve do not vant Mr Potter to be splinched."  
  
"Hear that Harry? It's your fault this damn walk is taking so long."  
  
"Maybe if you valked more and talked less the valk vould seem shorter, no?"  
  
"Shut up Misha." Seamus grumbled.  
  
"If you don't mind Misha, when will we be there?" Hermione asked timidly.  
  
"Ven ve get zerr you vill know."  
  
"Oh. Where are we going?" Harry rolled his eyes when Hermione asked another question.  
  
"Ven ve get zerr you vill know." Hermione began to ask another question, but Harry raised his hand over her mouth. She glared at him but didn't continue. Harry wondered where in the forest they were. It hadn't taken him long to reach the centre last time, yet this journey had already gone on three days. The next evening as they were sitting down to eat, Harry slammed his hands down, exasparrated.  
  
"When are we going to get there? We've been walking for four days and I'm starting to think that there's no plan. You're just dragging us around until we die."  
  
Misha looked at Harry darkly. "Ve vill get there ven ve get there." His voice was low and even. Even if the trip lasted six more years, no one would dare ask when they would get there again. 


	22. Forest of secrets

"Who's missing?" Professor McGonagall asked when she reached Dumbledore's office.  
  
"Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Seamus Finnegan."  
  
McGonagall blanched. "Oh dear god." She placed her fingers to her temples. "Finnegan told me, he was standing right there, he told me where he was going with them. They're going to find Voldemort."  
  
Dumbledore nodded. "I thought as much. Alexei Federov is missing as well."  
  
"Federov?" McGonagall said, feeling faint.  
  
"I believe under the alias Misha Vladmirovich. He has been after Harry for years, he has no objectives but killing Voldemort."  
  
"What do Granger and Finnegan have to do with it?"  
  
"Hermione is Harry's girlfriend, I'm sure she insisted on going, and Finnegan, well, I'm not really sure what he has to do with anything. He seems to be involved with everything though." Dumbledore allowed himself a small smile.  
  
"How can you smile?" McGonagall shrieked, bordering on hysteria. "This is a death wish!"  
  
Dumbledore's face sobered and he reached out to pat McGonagall's arm. "Misha, or Alexei or whatever you wish to call him, has not a lost a man yet."  
  
"He's a child Albus!"  
  
"Calm down Minerva. Harry Potter was an infant when he defeated Voldemort. And Misha was thirteen when he defeated the Russian Ministry." He set a comforting arm on McGonagall's shoulder. "They need to do something, can you imagine having no idea what's going to become of you?"  
  
McGonagall's mouth was set in a grim line, she was clearly torn between allowing the children freedom, and marching out of the school to drag them back and give them detention.  
  
"It's out of our hands Minerva." Dumbledore said gently.  
  
"I must go inform the parents." She did not meet his eyes as she left and Dumbledore sat down at his desk, silently cursing.  
  
~*~  
  
They continued to walk. Seamus had a long stick in his hands that he carefully notched at the end of each day. He would notch it and sigh loudly, muttering "I wonder when we'll get there." Misha's eyes would bulge slightly and he would wander off on his own. On one of these such nights Harry, Hermione and Seamus sat around the fire, silent until Hermione spoke.  
  
"What will become of us?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"When we die. What will happen?"  
  
"Well, if you want to be buried you'll be embalmed and put in a box, where your flesh will slowly decompose-" Seamus said knowledgeably.  
  
"No, no, no. I mean our souls. What happens to our souls?"  
  
"Who has a soul? No one, if they do it's cold, black and empty." Harry looked at Seamus, awed at this insight, until Seamus spoke again. "Heh! That was a haiku."  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Glad to see we're all so serious here."  
  
"I'm serious!" Harry said indignantly.  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Where's Misha? He's serious."  
  
Seamus looked at Harry and rolled his eyes. "I said no flirting with anyone."  
  
"I wasn't flirting with anyone!" She said angrily.  
  
"But you were thinking about it."  
  
"Just because you can't get any Finnegan." Hermione said grumpily.  
  
Harry looked at Seamus, wondering what he would say. Seamus leaned close to Hermione and said, with a slow smile, "You'd be surprised my dear, at just how much I can get." He lunged at her, but pulled back before they made contact. He winked at her as he rose and left.  
  
Hermione shuddered. "He's such an animal."  
  
Harry laughed. "Come off it Herm, he's just trying to get a rise out of you. And obviously it's working."  
  
Hermione shook her head. "He's so uncivilised and oh I don't know."  
  
"Funny."  
  
"Harry! I can't believe you of all people find him funny."  
  
"Oh relax Hermione."  
  
"Yeah Hermione, relax. We should call you Hormone."  
  
"UGH! Why are you back? Why didn't you just fall into a hole? Or get kidnapped by gorrilas, or something to get you away from me?"  
  
Seamus wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. "That really hurt. I was only trying to have a bit of fun..."  
  
"Oh Seamus, I'm sorry. It's just I'm not used to this not knowing where I'm going."  
  
"Yeah well, you still have to wonder who lit the fuse on your tampon."  
  
Hermione backhanded him and he grinned, massaging his cheek. "I'm sorry, I know it's tough. I remember my first mission."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Actually no. I was so loaded up on whiskey to keep my nerves down that it's all a big blur."  
  
Much to Harry's relief Hermione smiled. "Is it hard, what you do?"  
  
"Not as hard as not doing anything would be."  
  
"Aren't you scared?"  
  
"Why? Seems to me that most of us end up dead in the end anyway." He grinned and shrugged. "It's a living."  
  
They sat in silence for a while, something that Seamus was for once not having trouble doing. He stirred the fire with a stick, watching it crackle and burn, until Misha returned, with a girl.  
  
Seamus rose suddenly as she walked in the clearing. She was very pretty, Hermione thought. She had long white blonde hair and pale blue eyes. She was wearing a long white dress and seemed to radiate something, a glow. Seamus grinned and took her hand, kissing it. When she spoke, her voice tinkled softly, like bells. "The one you are waiting for is just a ways back. Catch her if you can young Seamus."  
  
Thinking the woman meant Voldemort, Hermione almost screamed as Seamus bounded off alone in the direction the woman pointed. Then she heard the same tinkling voice "Seamus! Put me down! Seamus!" Harry and Hermione both expected a girlfriend perhaps, but Seamus came bounding back, holding a miniature version of the blue-eyed woman in his arms. He set her down when they returned, and she frowned at him and stomped on his foot.  
  
He grinned. "No way to be greeting your greatest admirer."  
  
The girl frowned and then jumped into Seamus' arms. He went over to Misha and the blue-eyed woman. They talked in hushed voices for a moment, then Seamus turned to Harry and Hermione. "Harry, over here a moment." Harry looked at hermione who shrugged, and got up and walked over to the small group. Seamus set the little girl on the ground and told her to go sit with Hermione. The girl frowned.  
  
"I don't want to go sit with that human."  
  
"Well you can't stand with these ones either m'dam so you may as well go sit with her." He paused and leaned close to her and whipered so only she could hear. He face broke into a large grin and she kissed Seamus and ran over to sit with Hermione.  
  
Harry looked at the tall woman with raised eyebrows. She smiled. "Being naturally nosy, Seamus stumbled upon us last year, was charmed by Eve, and has become one of the only people she'll listen to."  
  
Seamus grinned. "What did she mean "I don't want to sit with the human?" Is she into a fairy kick or something?" Harry asked.  
  
"In a manner of speaking." The woman said. "You've come into an area of the forest ruled by fairies."  
  
"You don't look like a fairy." Harry said stupidly.  
  
"That's kind of the point." Seamus said, embarassed. "If they run around with wings and sparkles people would know they'd found the fairies and they'd hang around."  
  
The woman smiled kindly. "It's for the better good of the fairies that we remain hidden, as wizards choose to remain hidden from Muggles. The fairies in your classroom are actually a species of pixie." She smiled at Seamus, trying to look stern, but instead looking loving. "Normally we do not allow people to travel through our wood, but Seamus has become especially dear to the fairy people, and I could never forbid him entrance to our home. However this is troublesome."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Fairies have never been targeted in battles like this one, and we would rather remain neutral."  
  
Harry opened his mouth to protest, but she continued. "However, I cannot deny you the right to continue this journey you have embarked upon with the intention of helping others. You can continue on your way, I will doubtless see you again." She smiled and Seamus kissed her hand again, then she called for her small daughter and disappeared. 


	23. Behind the compound

They continued walking that night, lulled by the thought of faerie protection. They saw many of the silvery creatures waiting to get a glance of the weary travellers who ventured through their wood. Many of them knew Seamus, and most of them stopped and travelled some of the distance with them, telling stories and singing songs. For six days they walked through the faerie wood, and when their journey was nearing an end, Harry almost found himself crying. Diamante, the tall faerie they had met on the first day came to them on the last. She brought Eve and another girl, who Seamus clearly didn't like.  
  
"Jesus H. Christ." He muttered when she walked into the clearing where they had made camp. He kissed Diamante's hand, and then bowed over the hand of the girl. "Why is she here." He asked Diamante, still looking at the girl.  
  
"SHE has a name." The girl said.  
  
"I never did understand why people named their animals." He said under his breath.  
  
"What was that?" The girl snapped.  
  
"I said I never did understand how to pronounce your name."  
  
Diamante smiled, and spoke sternly to them. "Seamus, Calliope, you will need to be civil to each other if you are going to go on this mission together-"  
  
"Wait! You can't just decide to send Cantaloupe-"  
  
"Calliope." Diamante corrected.  
  
"Yeah, her, you can't just decide to send her on OUR mission. It's not fair!"  
  
"I haff asked that faerie help be given to us Feenigan."  
  
"Aw shit Misha! I can't believe you did that!"  
  
"I can hear you Finnigan." Calliope said angrily.  
  
"Tell her that's the point." Seamus said.  
  
"I vill not tell her enything Seamus. If you two cannot be ceevil zen zat is your problem. BUT if zis mission fails because you two cannot stop your fighting, it vill be your necks on zee pike."  
  
Seamus looked at the girl and at everyone else, then he threw his hands in the air. "Fine! Fine, fine, fine. But I won't talk to her."  
  
"He makes it seem like that's not a privledge." Hermione said.  
  
~*~  
  
True to his word, Seamus refused to speak to Calliope, not directly at least. He passed messages to her through the others. "Tell Antelope to slow down." Or "Tell Croup to shut up." Everyone passed the messages on, and she would retort with another one. It became the only source of entertainment in those long, cold days leading up to god knew what.  
  
All doubts about whether they were close or not were erased one morning in mid-October. Harry woke to the fierce, angry pain of his scar. Calliope dressed it with secret herbs, but the pain stayed sharp, and instead of fading to a dull throbbing, grew sharper throughout the day. Conversation grew thin, as everyone became more agitated, and even Seamus and Calliope didn't exchange their usual barbed comments. Harry fell into a restless sleep that night, and when he woke the pain of his scar burned more.  
  
"We're there." Seamus said around mid-afternoon.  
  
"How do you know?" Calliope snapped. "Are we supposed to trust your idiot- sense?"  
  
Seamus didn't say anything. He pushed back his sleeve and Hermione gasped when she saw the dark-mark on his forearm. It burned black. "I'm sorry." Calliope said, dropping her eyes. "I didn't know."  
  
"Now you do." Seamus said coldly. "Hermione, stay back here. If we need you for any reason we'll call you."  
  
"But-" Hermione started but Seamus cut her off.  
  
"We discussed listening already, didn't we Hermione?" he said in his kindergarten teacher voice. "And we agreed that you would listen to me. What are you going to do Hermione?"  
  
"Stay back here and come if you need me." She mumbled.  
  
"That's right! Harry, I want you to go with Misha. I want you two to go around the back of the compound and wait for my signal." Harry was surprised to see Misha listening to Seamus' orders. "When you get it come in, don't worry about anything. Calliope and I are going to go in the front and take care of the death-eaters."  
  
"What if there are too many?" Harry asked.  
  
"Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country." He said, winking. He took a swig from a bottle of bourbon and grinned. "Well, there's no stopping it. Let's roll."  
  
Harry hugged Hermione quickly, and then he and Misha went around the back of the compound, as ordered. They waved good-bye to Calliope and Seamus, and with a nervous stomach Harry crouched down beside Misha, waiting for the signal. 


	24. The battle

Seamus and Calliope walked into the compound. Calliope's mouth was set in a grim line, and the only thing that gave away her fear was the almost sub- conscious wringing of her hands. Seamus swaggered in jauntily, grinning. Calliope gasped at her first view of Voldemort, but Seamus said nothing, walking towards his throne, and getting down on one knee. "Master, I beseech you, forgive me for abandoning you months ago. I have brought you a faerie, in hopes that it will start me on the path back into your favours."  
  
"Foolish boy." Voldemort hissed. "Where is it?"  
  
"Where is what, sir?"  
  
"The faerie you fool!"  
  
Seamus stood. "Calliope!" Calliope came towards him, trembling with anger.  
  
"Sheta homas calirana Finnegan?" She asked in the faeries language. "What have you got me into?"  
  
"Relax." Seamus said, grinning, also in the fairies tongue. "Don't worry." Then, in English, "She is already blackening sir. She will become a Dementor within weeks."  
  
"I do not want a Dementor Finnegan! I want to know where the faeries live!"  
  
"And you will master. Please, be patient. Rest, and the faerie and I will lead you to their refuge."  
  
Voldemorts eyes narrowed. "How do I know you will be truthful?"  
  
Seamus leaned forward and propped his head up in his hand. "Master, trust me on this and by the time you wake this evening, you will have Harry Potter before you."  
  
Voldemorts nostrils flared and he relented. 'Very well Finnegan. But if I have no Potter before me when I wake up, it will be your life." And then he got up and strode out of the hall.  
  
Calliope watched as Seamus gathered all the death-eaters together, then she sang some song, and they drifted into a sleep. Seamus bound them all together where they lay, and went to get Misha and Harry.  
  
"Misha, I want you to Apparate with them back to the Defense department."  
  
"Perhaps I should stay?"  
  
"No, you should go. I don't want to risk these guys getting loose. Harry, you need to stay here, Calliope, could you maybe-"  
  
"Already done." Calliope said smiling at Seamus and slipping her immunity over Harry's head.  
  
Harry and Misha watched with amused smiles as something passed between Calliope and Seamus. Seamus obviously noticed, as he added hastily, "Thanks, and if you wouldn't mind getting in the way of my wand while you aren't wearing that thing..."  
  
Misha and Seamus exchanged quick words in Russian, then Misha and twenty death-eaters disappeared into thin air.  
  
"Voldemort will be waking from his long winters nap in about an hour." Seamus said needlessly. They sat in an uneasy silence for a while. "Yep." Seamus said.  
  
"Yep." Calliope replied, grinning.  
  
"Yep." Harry said.  
  
"Uh-huh." Seamus said.  
  
"Yeh." They went on like that for fifteen minutes, none of them knowing what to say and none of them wanting to hear the sounds of silence when they stopped speaking. "I had a cat once." Seamus said suddenly. "When I was ten years old. Its name was Blackjack, cos it was all black, see. I had the biggest crush on this girl. Her name was Seanna. She was eleven and a half, and I swear to god, I was in love with that girl. She had these two big dogs, see? And my da' went out to the farm where she lived, and my cat was in his lorry. Well, the cat got out, and this girls dogs just mauled the bloody thing. I cried for a week. I was in love with that girl and her dogs mauled my cat." He shook his head sadly.  
  
"I had a unicorn." Calliope said. "It's name was One, because uni is latin for one. It was the most beautiful unicorn in the world."  
  
"What happened to it?" Harry asked, propping his head up on his elbow and looking at her.  
  
"Seamus set it loose in the Dark forest." Calliope said, glaring at Seamus fondly. The past afternoon seemed to have done much to bury the hatchet between the two.  
  
"It needed to be free." Seamus said.  
  
"Why did you do it?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Because I wanted the fair and talented Calliope of Clearwater to notice me. She did, for about twenty seconds, which was how long it took her to slap me seventeen times."  
  
Hermione looked at Seamus with raised eyebrows. "Seamus Finnegan is capable of feeling human emotions?"  
  
"Go to hell." Seamus said comfortably. Suddenly he jumped to his feet. "Master," He said in a slithery, cold voice. "I have brought you Harry Potter."  
  
Harry screamed with rage and pain as Voldemort entered the room, side by side with Lucius Malfoy. "Where are the others Finnegan?"  
  
"They left, sire. They have abandoned you, but there is still me, and Master Malfoy."  
  
"Yes, of course." Voldemort smiled slowly and coldly. "And Potter."  
  
Without warning, Seamus drew his wand and disarmed Voldemort. He wheeled on Lucius Malfoy, attacking him violently with his fists and his wand  
  
Voldemort shrieked madly, helpless and frail without his wand and minions. Harry turned on him and drew his wand, then realised suddenly he had no idea what to do. He stunned Voldemort, and he fell to the ground. Luicus Malfoy attacked Seamus with the Cruciatus curse, again and again, and Calliope flung herself at him, attacking from behind. He fell and his face broke on the cobbled floor. Seamus sat up, panting. "Are you alright?" Calliope asked, looking at the blood pouring from his cheek. "Hurts like a bitch." Seamus replied cheerfully. "Mobili Corpus." Voldemorts stunned body lifted itself off the floor and made its way towards the door.  
  
"Is Malfoy dead?" Hermione asked. Seamus turned to look at him, Harry pulled Calliope's chain from around his neck and handed it back to her and in the split second, as the white-gold chain caught the light, and Seamus's spell lost it's power, Voldemort came to. Harry dropped the chain, and it hovered in the air for what seemed like, hours, but was really only seconds. It took only seconds for Voldemort to regain his senses and scream the fatal words "Avada Kedavra!"  
  
The curse hit Calliope and she fell, her body striking the ground, the chain falling moments later. With a yell of anguish, Seamus wheeled away from Malfoy's body and ran at Voldemort. He knocked him to the ground and beat him savagely with his fists. By the time Hermione and Harry had pulled him away Voldemorts waxy face was covered in blood and he was unconscious. "Seamus, he needs to be alive when we get him back to Hogwarts." Hermione said gently.  
  
Seamus wiped a trickle of blood from his mouth, then wiped the blood on his hands on his robes. Harry had the sickening awareness that it wasn't Seamus' blood. He kicked Voldemort savagely in the side one last time, then turned and walked away. He took the chain from Calliope's hand and placed it around his own neck, then looked down at her body on the ground. "Do something about this mess." He said, not directing it at anyone in particular and walked out of the compound.  
  
Harry and Hermione looked at each other. "What now?"  
  
"I suppose we should take them back to the faerie woods." Harry said, not really knowing what they should do.  
  
"We can't carry three bodies Harry." Hermione said honestly. Harry looked around and rubbed the back of his neck. "I unno."  
  
Hermione sighed. "I guess we wait?"  
  
"I guess so." They stood there in silence for several minutes.  
  
"What are we waiting for?" Harry asked.  
  
Hermione shrugged. "Someone else?"  
  
They stood there for a minute in silence, then looked up as Seamus re- entered. "I knew I couldn't trust you guys to clean this up." 


	25. Returning the dead

Seamus smiled weakly, then picked up Calliope's limp form. "Harry, I want you to take Lucius, Hermione, Voldemort."  
  
Hermione blanched but said nothing. She bent self-consciously and lifted his body. It was extraordinarily light, and she carried it with ease. She noticed Seamus didn't hold Calliope's body with any particular reverence. She looked at Harry, and saw that he noticed it too, and she went over to say something to Seamus, but Harry shook his head. "No Hermione. Just let him be."  
  
Seamus said nothing. He walked out the door, assuming they would follow him, which they did. They walked back to the fairy settlement, Harry and Hermione heaving their loads from side to side. Diamante greeted them at the edge of the forest. Seamus knelt and lay Calliope's body at her feet. He removed her pendant from around his neck and pressed it into Calliopes palm. Then he kissed her forehead and walked deeper into the forest. Diamante called after him but he didn't reply, he ignored even Eve's cries, disappearing into foliage.  
  
Diamante knelt next to Calliope's body and wept silently. Then she stood, suddenly noticing Harry and Hermione, who were still awkwardly shouldering their burdens. "Bring them forward." She said, lifting Calliope's body. Harry and Hermione shook their heads.  
  
"We should go on, and find Seamus. We need to get back to Hogwarts. We're sorry for-we're sorry for everything."  
  
Diamante nodded silently.  
  
Harry and Hermione walked away, clutching two bodies and feeling like intruders. Harry was surprised Hermione didn't want to stay and observe fairy rites of mourning. He giggled at the thought and Hermione looked at him sharply. "I don't suppose you'd like to tell me what could possibly funny at a time like this."  
  
"No, actually, I wouldn't. No offence or anything."  
  
"You're so rude Harry. You have no respect. Seamus has more manners than you."  
  
"Hey! Hey, hey, hey! What was that about? He just left Diamante alone with her daughters body, no explanation, nothing. I knew he hated her, but that was uncalled for-"  
  
Hermione stopped so abruptly Voldemort's body almost dropped to the ground. "Harry! I can't believe you could be so IGNORANT! He didn't hate her! He loved her! Harry! He loved Calliope! And she died! I can't believe you! I can't believe I'm dating someone so BLIND! Huh!"  
  
Hermione's whole speech was delivered in exclamations. Harry looked at her blankly. "No, he hated her. He was always bugging her and stuff."  
  
Hermione sighed. "Harry, you are so dense. So very, very dense. He didn't know how to tell her how he felt, so he bugged her, and irritated her. But he loved her." She stopped for a minute, like she suddenly realised something. "Like Ron...oh god, like Ron."  
  
Harry blinked. "You're breaking up with me aren't you?" He panicked slightly, although he didn't know why. "I'm standing here with a dead body in my hands and you're breaking up with me?"  
  
"Oh Harry. There will be other girls, other places to go. This just isn't right."  
  
Harry knew it was true. "You could have at least waited until I wasn't holding onto Lucius Malfoy." Hermione still looked close to tears, so Harry bumped her with his shoulder. "With my spectacular good looks and charm, no one could resist me-"  
  
He was cut off by the return of Seamus. "You're right Harry. I can't resist your masculinity. My dorm or yours." Harry shuddered with pretend revulsion and Seamus laughed. "Misha is already at Hogwarts." He took Voldemort from Hermione. "We should get there by tomorrow evening."  
  
That night they sat around fire, Harry fell asleep early, but Hermione and Seamus stayed up. "I'm sorry, about Calliope, and everything, and how it all turned out and, you know." Hermione said, staring at her feet.  
  
Seamus smiled tightly. "It happens. You can't do anything about it, no matter how much you think you could."  
  
Hermione risked looking up at him, but his eyes were dry. He smiled weakly at her. "I'm not going to cry, don't worry. That's the first thing my da' taught me."  
  
"Sometimes crying can make things better."  
  
Seamus shook his head. "Not for hurt like this. My heart hurts Hermione. It's not my head, or my body, it's my heart. You can't cry that kind of thing away." Hermione awkwardly patted his shoulder.  
  
"You're not as bad as you pretend to be." She said to him, and he smiled crookedly.  
  
"That's what you think." He said, winking.  
  
"No, I'm serious. You really helped out here. We couldn't have done it without you. And you made everyone laugh too. This probably sounds quite morbid, but I've had a good time."  
  
"Yeah, that does sound morbid." Hermione shoved him to the side and he laughed. They both looked at each other and there was one of those film moments, and they kissed, somewhat awkwardly.  
  
Harry woke up then, and saw them. "Oh bugger all." He said. "Not again." 


	26. Returning the living

The three of them arrived at Hogwarts that evening, just as Seamus predicted. They were swarmed by Ministry members, and the bodies were taken from them. Harry and Hermione both received a hero's welcome, but Seamus and Misha's arrival was treated far more coldly.  
  
"How could you even THINK about doing something so FOOLISH? You IDIOTS." Misha and Seamus blinked boredly up at Cornelius Fudge.  
  
"You endangered the lives of CHILDREN!" They turned their tired faces to the Minister of Defense. Seamus smacked his lips and yawned.  
  
"You could be EXPELLED for this behaviour Finnegan! And YOU!" Snape whirled onto Misha. "You will see trial, even if he does not!" Snape spat the words out.  
  
The door open and Dumbledore came in, followed closely by McGonagall and Seamus' mum. "Oh no." Seamus said when he saw her.  
  
She pushed Fudge and the Minister of Defense out of her way and smacked Seamus hard across the face. "What were you THINKING? Or were you thinking? What is WRONG with your head? Seamus Peter Finnegan! YOU IDIOT!"  
  
Misha chuckled for a minute before his eyes grew wide and his own mother came in. She shrieked at him in Russian while Seamus's mum screamed in English. Eventually they both stopped to breath, and Dumbledore dove in. "Mrs Vladmirovich, Mrs Finnegan, please. You should be very proud of your sons-"  
  
"Our idiots you mean!" They both said.  
  
"Er, no. The boys both performed a very heroic, and well thought out act. They have brought Voldemort back to us, and they've done it without casualties. They deserve a medal, not a tongue lashing." He twinkled down at them. "And perhaps a bath and a nap. They're quite filthy."  
  
"You try running through the forest and not getting filthy!" Seamus said indignantly, stifling a yawn.  
  
"Seamus of course, will not be expelled, and the only trial he will be attending is Voldemort's." Dumbledore smiled all around. "Professor McGonagall, would you escort these gentlemen to the hospital wing. I'm sure we can carry on without them."  
  
McGonall nodded and led them out of the room. Then she wheeled around on Seamus. "You! You! Last time I ever listen to you!"  
  
"I told you the truth though, Professor. The complete, honest truth."  
  
McGonagall shook with rage. "I can't believe you! And your poor mother!"  
  
"But I told you the truth Professor!"  
  
"Aye miss, he did." A tinkling voice said from behind them.  
  
Seamus turned, hardly believing it. "Diamante?"  
  
She smiled and reached out her hand, it held Calliope's pendant. "You left before I could give you this." Seamus blinked back tears.  
  
"I'm sorry." He said, his voice breaking.  
  
Diamante shook her head. "Please come back again Seamus. We miss you." She pressed her fingers to his forehead then turned and left.  
  
"Oh-ho!" Misha said, elbowing Seamus in the side.  
  
"Shut up!" Seamus said, his skin burning red. "She's four thousand years old. Seriously."  
  
McGonagall left them in the care of Madam Pomfrey, who tucked them into bed immediately and asked them what they wanted to drink.  
  
'Whiskey." Seamus said.  
  
"Vodka." Misha said.  
  
"Tea and honey for the both of you." Madam Pomfrey said pointedly.  
  
"You did a good job old man." Seamus said to Misha.  
  
Misha smiled. "And you." 


End file.
